Philippines, US, Japan eye trilateral meeting on ASEAN sidelines: envoy | ABS-CBN

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Philippines, US, Japan eye trilateral meeting on ASEAN sidelines: envoy

Philippines, US, Japan eye trilateral meeting on ASEAN sidelines: envoy

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

 | 

Updated Sep 06, 2023 07:31 AM PHT

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President Ferdinand
President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. attends the retreat session of the 43rd Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia, Sept. 5, 2023. Indonesia will host the 43rd ASEAN Summit and related summits from Sept. 5 to 7, 2023. Mast Irham, EPA-EFE/Pool

JAKARTA — The Philippines, the United States and Japan are planning to meet on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit to discuss cooperation on the West Philippine Sea and economic security, an ambassador said on Tuesday.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., US Vice President Kamala Harris and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida have been trying to find a common time in their schedules for the meeting, Philippine Ambassador to the United States Babe Romualdez said.

“Obviously, the West Philippine Sea, will most likely be part of the discussion, but mostly in cooperation and how Japan, the United States and the Philippines will work together, especially in the area of economic security, which is also very important for us,” he told reporters.

“The trilateral meeting was actually requested by both the United States and Japan for the Philippines to get together here in Jakarta. However, the schedules are a bit tight for, especially, I think for Japan and the United States,” he said.

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Harris, who arrived in Jakarta late Tuesday evening, is expected to depart on Wednesday after ASEAN’s gala dinner, the Ambassador said.

“It’s a whole day meeting tomorrow so they’ll find a look for the time, and also I understand that the Vice President is also leaving the next day, she's only really staying for one day,” he said.

“So we’re not sure that’s going to happen. However, they will see each other of course tomorrow and at the gala dinner, so hopefully something along those lines, or in that timeframe, they’ll be able to meet,” he added.

The US and Japan were among the countries that condemned China’s use of water cannons against Philippine resupply vessels sailing in the West Philippine Sea in August.

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The three allies have also conducted several joint maritime exercises in the South China Sea, seen as a protest against Beijing’s sweeping claims in the strategic waterway.

“Obviously, the importance of that meeting was because of the fact that we’ve had discussions with both Japan and the United States on the issues surrounding our area, our territorial waters and of course the South China Sea,” Romualdez said.

“The President was very eager to have that meeting. However, as I said, it is still being worked out. The schedule is really very tight for both—not only for us but also for the United States because of the very short stay of the Vice President,” he said.

Romualdez noted that the meeting was “nothing new”, as heads of state usually have pocket gatherings on the sidelines of international gatherings.

“I know that people are putting meaning into it, special meeting into it because of the situation in our part of the world but at the end of the day, it is really a meeting of friends and allies and partners,” he said.

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