PRESIDENT Marcos Jr. is set to leave today for Tokyo to attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-Japan Summit which is expected to review cooperation activities in the past years and discuss recent developments such as those concerning the South China Sea and East China Sea, Myanmar, and North Korea.
The summit coincides with the 50th anniversary of the ASEAN-Japan relations.
The President and the other leaders of ASEAN and Japan are also expected to discuss issues related to security matters such as defense, transnational crime and mutual legal assistance; mutual economic activities; and cultural and people-to-people activities.
Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Daniel Espiritu earlier said the China’s recent aggressive actions in Bajo de Masinloc and the Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea may be raised during the summit because the leaders “will be talking about international developments and regional developments, and among them are developments in the South China Sea and East China Sea.”
Marcos will be in Japan from December 15 to 18. He will be accompanied by a lean delegation that includes First Lady Liza Marcos, Speaker Martin Romualdez, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo, Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual, Presidential Adviser on Investment and Economic Affairs Frederick Go, Communications Secretary Cheloy Garafil, some foreign affairs and trade officials.
Vice President Sara Duterte is expected to head a caretaker committee while the President is abroad.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the summit’s main objective is to formalize Japan’s being a “comprehensive strategic partner of ASEAN.”
Two documents are also expected to be issued during the summit — one on the joint vision statement of ASEAN and Japan, and another on an implementation plan for that joint statement.
The joint vision statement covers the three pillars of ASEAN, namely political-security matters, which include defense issues, transnational crime and etcetera; economic issues such as trade and investment, and climate change; and socio-cultural and people-to-people exchange issues.
The summit will officially open with a dinner hosted by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on December 16. The leaders’ several sessions will be held on December 17.
On the sidelines of the summit, President Marcos is also expected to hold a meeting with the Japanese Prime Minister, and attend the Asia Zero Emissions Community forum with Japan and Australia, which is expected to discuss commitments to lower carbon gas emissions.
Espiritu said signing of a reciprocal access agreement between Philippines and Japan, similar to the Visiting Forces Agreement between the Philippines and the United States, is “unlikely” as it is not part of the agenda.
Marcos is also expected to have at least two business meetings to be led by the Department of Trade and Industry, and include discussions on the status of investment pledges and agreements that were signed during his visit to Tokyo in February.
No meeting with the Filipino community has been scheduled.
