The Philippines and the Filipino people stand to reap huge economic dividends as an offshoot of the forthcoming trilateral summit among President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., US President Joe Biden, and Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
House Speaker Martin Romualdez said this in a statement on Wednesday even as he noted that the first-ever meeting of the three leaders in Washington D.C. on April 11 (US time) signifies a pivotal step towards deepening economic ties among the three nations, enhancing peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, and bolstering cooperation in various areas of mutual interest.
Marcos is set to leave for Washington on Wednesday afternoon.
“Economic cooperation lies at the heart of this trilateral meeting, with discussions aimed at enhancing trade, investment, and development opportunities among our nations. Our country’s deeper economic integration with the United States and Japan will undoubtedly benefit our people in terms of jobs and livelihood opportunities and contribute to regional prosperity,” Romualdez said.
He said the historic trilateral meeting also underscores the crucial role of the Philippines as a partner of the US and Japan in their shared commitment to fostering regional stability and prosperity.
“As nations with strategic interests in the Indo-Pacific, our collaboration is essential in addressing common challenges and advancing mutual interests. By strengthening our partnerships with like-minded nations, we can address security challenges effectively and promote peace and stability across the region,” Romualdez said.
He also noted that the three leaders are, likewise, expected to explore cooperation in the areas of developing critical and emerging technologies, climate change cooperation, and clean energy supply chains.
“The Philippines, as a vulnerable nation to the impacts of climate change, welcomes increased cooperation with the United States and Japan to implement sustainable solutions and mitigate the effects of climate change on our communities,” Romualdez said.
“The trilateral meeting could likewise prove beneficial to our country through cooperation agreements that may be forged, which would bolster the position of the Philippines as a crucial hub in the international supply chain, and spur further growth and development in the country.”
US-Japan infra investment in PH
Meanwhile, a White House official said on Wednesday that the US and Japan will announce some ”joint investments” on major infrastructure areas in the Philippines in the highly-anticipated trilateral summit on April 11.
On infrastructure, National Security Council senior director for East Asia and Oceania Mira Rapp-Hooper said Tokyo and Washington DC will agree to boost and cooperate on their investments in the Philippines.
“Our leaders will announce new initiatives to enhance energy security, economic and maritime cooperation, partnerships on technology and cybersecurity, and some considerable joint investments in major infrastructure areas,” she said in a press briefing in Washington DC on Wednesday morning (Manila time).
“[W]e do believe that together and working closely with the Government of the Philippines, we will be able to deliver for the Filipino people by helping to work together on high-quality, high-standards infrastructure that makes a difference in the lives of everyday people,” she added.
Rapp-Hooper said another focus would be on digital connectivity to help ensure Manila has access to reliable and trusted networks.
“On top of that, of course, what we’ll be showing on Thursday is that amidst the tensions with the PRC (People’s Republic of China) in the South China Sea, the Philippines people, not just President Marcos, have the support of the United States and Japan,” she added.
In a recent ANC interview, Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez said Manila is eyeing to be part of an upcoming US-Japan arrangement on defense industry but declined to elaborate when asked for more details.
“Japan and the United States have come up with an agreement now that Japan will be actually manufacturing defense equipment. They’re also into shipbuilding, they have opened up their manufacturing of the ships, perhaps, and so, we are going to be part of that arrangement where we will be able to acquire that,” he said over ANC.
The envoy said this potential partnership would not only help modernize the Armed Forces of the Philippines but also the Philippine Coast Guard.
Earlier, US Deputy State Secretary of State Kurt Campbell said Biden and Kishida will discuss steps that would allow the US and Japan to work “more collaboratively” on joint development and potentially co-production of vital military and defense equipment.
Prior to the trilateral, Biden and his Japanese counterpart will meet for a bilateral meeting on April 10. (PNA)
Photo credit: Government of Japan Official Website, Facebook/pcogovph, White House Official Website