THE Philippines, the United States, and Japan yesterday vowed to continue working together to enhance and deepen trilateral ties – in areas of economic, maritime, and technology cooperation – and reaffirmed their shared vision for a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific.
This was the result of a trilateral call among President Marcos Jr., US President Joseph Biden Jr., and Japan Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba yesterday morning where they acknowledged the “progress” that has been made since their historical trilateral summit in the US in April 2024.
The President, in a post on his official social media account after their trilateral call, highlighted the importance of the meeting and affirmation of the commitments of the three nations amid the ongoing leadership transition in the US.
“I joined President Biden and Prime Minister Ishiba in reflecting on the progress of our trilateral partnership and reaffirmed our shared vision for a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific. As leadership transitions, our commitment to this partnership remains strong, ensuring that the progress we’ve made will continue to benefit our nations and the region for years to come,” he said.
Marcos was joined during the virtual meeting by Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo, Special Assistant to the President Antonio Lagdameo Jr. and Communications Secretary Cesar Chavez, among others.
The Presidential Communications Office (PCO), quoting Prime Minister Ishiba, said in a statemet: “Going forward, it is important to deepen trilateral cooperation in a variety of fields.”
It added that Marcos remarked that since the adoption of the Trilateral Joint Vision Statement, “substantial progress had been made in implementing bilateral and trilateral cooperation in areas of mutual interest between the Philippines, the US, and Japan.”
These interests include inclusive economic growth and resilience, crucial and emerging technologies, climate cooperation and clean energy, and promoting peace and security among the three nations.
The PCO said Biden highlighted the progress that had already been made since April last year “especially in areas of maritime security, economic security, technology cooperation, and high-quality infrastructure investments.”
He also expressed confidence that his successor will see merit in continuing and further deepening the cooperation with Japan and the Philippines.
“Simply put, our countries have an interest in continuing this partnership and institutionalizing our cooperation across our governments so that it is built to last. I’m optimistic that my successor will also see the value of continuing this partnership, and that it is framed the right way,” Biden said.
Biden also recognized and commended the Philippines and Marcos’ diplomatic response “to China’s aggressive and coercive activities in the South China Sea.”
The US, in a press briefer, said the meeting advanced the continuing cooperation of three nations concerning the Indo-Pacific.
“Together, the three Leaders discussed trilateral maritime security and economic cooperation, as well as the People’s Republic of China’s dangerous and unlawful behavior in the South China Sea. The three Leaders agreed on the importance of continued coordination to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific,” it added.
The Philippines, the US, and Japan, on April 12, 2024, established the trilateral maritime cooperation which aims to safeguard the three countries’ peoples at sea.
The agreement includes future collaborations among the coast guards of the three nations “to improve interoperability and advance maritime security and safety.