Marcos ‘assured’ in US-Philippine-Japan ties as Biden bids goodbye to White Home

‘I’m optimistic that my successor may even see the worth of constant this partnership, and that it’s framed the suitable means,’ says outgoing US President Joe Biden

MANILA, Philippines – Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. mentioned Monday, January 13, that he was “assured” that Washington, Tokyo, and Manila would “proceed working collectively to boost and deepen trilateral ties,” as its main convenor, outgoing US President Joe Biden, prepares to step down from his submit.

Marcos, Biden, and Japan Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba met Monday morning through video convention for a gathering meant to affirm their bilateral and trilateral commitments.

“I’m assured that our three nations will proceed to work collectively intently to maintain the good points that now we have made in enhancing and deepening our ties,” mentioned Marcos, in line with a launch from the Presidential Communications Workplace (PCO).

The PCO additionally quoted Biden as saying the three nations had made “historic progress in our trilateral partnership, particularly in areas of maritime safety, financial safety, know-how cooperation, and high-quality infrastructure investments.”

“We must always proceed to deepen our cooperation in these areas, I consider,” mentioned the outgoing American President, in line with the Malacañang launch.

“Merely put, our nations have an curiosity in persevering with this partnership and institutionalizing our cooperation throughout our governments in order that it’s constructed to final. I’m optimistic that my successor may even see the worth of constant this partnership, and that it’s framed the suitable means,” mentioned Biden, in line with the Malacañang launch.

It was Biden who hosted the first-ever trilateral leaders assembly between the three nations within the White Home in April 2024. The assembly was largely seen as an anticipated development of the present relationship between the Western superpower and two of its key allies in Asia, amid the actions of an expansionist China.

By January 22, Marcos would be the sole attendee from the unique leaders’ summit nonetheless in energy. Biden will likely be stepping down on January 21 to make means for former president Donald Trump’s return to the White Home. Ishiba took over in September 2024, after former prime minister Fumio Kishida resigned amid corruption scandals throughout the ruling Liberal Democratic Social gathering.

Each the Philippines and Japan have reported Chinese language incursions, both at sea or within the air. Beijing claims the Japan-administered Senkaku Islands, in addition to a lot of the South China Sea, together with areas the place the Philippines has sovereign rights.

Biden, mentioned Malacañang, recommended Marcos for the Philippines’ diplomatic response “to China’s aggressive and coercive actions within the South China Sea.”

Confrontations between Manila and Beijing in an space the previous calls the West Philippine Sea usually flip harmful — essentially the most precarious being an incident in June 2024 when China Coast Guard personnel boarded and destroyed the rubber boats of elite Philippine troopers throughout a mission to the BRP Sierra Madre, a Navy ship marooned in Ayungin or Second Thomas Shoal.

That incident led to the Philippines and China agreeing on a “provisional settlement” governing the shoal. No incident has been reported for the reason that settlement was introduced in July 2024.

Whilst tensions within the area stay excessive, there’s additionally uncertainty over how a brand new Trump administration would have interaction with Indo-Pacific nations, and who it should cope with its fellow superpower China.

Whereas a number of of Trump’s presumptive picks for key Cupboard posts are seen as supportive of the Philippines and its partnership with the US, the President-elect himself has mentioned little about China and the South China Sea. – Rappler.com