MANILA, April 10 (Reuters) – The upcoming trilateral summit between the United States, Philippines and Japan will include an agreement to maintain security and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Wednesday.
Marcos left for Washington on Wednesday afternoon for talks with U.S. President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
The Philippine leader told reporters earlier in the day that there will be an agreement on South China Sea issues, but emphasised that the summit is mainly aimed at boosting economic ties between the three allies.
Marcos said he aims to explore ways to advance cooperation with Japan and the United States on key areas that include infrastructure, semiconductors, cyber security, critical minerals, renewable energy and defence and maritime cooperation.
The Philippines under Marcos has deepened military ties with both the United States and Japan as maritime run-ins with China in the South China Sea have escalated.
Under that deal, the Philippines agreed not to bring construction materials to repair a rusting warship Manila deliberately grounded in 1999 to bolster its maritime claims.
“I am horrified by the idea that we have compromised through a secret agreement the territory, the sovereignty and the sovereign rights of the Philippines,” Marcos told reporters.
China claims almost the entire South China Sea, overlapping with territorial claims of the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei.
MANILA, April 10 (Reuters)-President of the Philippines Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said that a deal to preserve security and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea will be a part of the future trilateral summit between the US, Philippines, and Japan. said on the Wednesday.
Marcos departed Wednesday afternoon for talks with U.S. s. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and President Joe Biden.
While reiterating that the summit’s primary goal is to strengthen economic ties between the three allies, the Philippine leader told reporters earlier in the day that an agreement will be reached on South China Sea issues.
Prior to leaving for Washington, Marcos stated in a separate speech, “The main intent of this trilateral agreement is for us to be able to continue to flourish, to be able to help one another, and of course to keep the peace in the South China Sea and the freedom of navigation.”.
According to Marcos, his goal is to investigate how to further collaboration with Japan and the US in important domains such as infrastructure, semiconductors, cyber security, vital minerals, renewable energy, defense, and maritime cooperation.
In advance of the three leaders’ meeting, Marcos is scheduled to have talks with Biden.
As maritime confrontations with China in the South China Sea have intensified, the Philippines under Marcos has strengthened military ties with both the US and Japan.
Talks are in progress with Japan to establish a reciprocal access agreement that will permit the presence of Japanese forces on Philippine soil. Marcos has permitted nearly twice as many Philippine bases as American soldiers are allowed to access under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement.
Concurrently, Marcos has refuted the existence of an alleged “gentleman’s agreement” between Beijing and his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte to “maintain the status quo” at Second Thomas Shoal, a disputed South China Sea maritime feature.
Last month, a spokesperson for Duterte, whose term ended in 2022, verified that such an agreement had been reached. In exchange for maintaining its maritime claims, the Philippines agreed under that agreement not to import building supplies to restore the corroding warship Manila, which was purposefully grounded in 1999. Reporters were told by Marcos once more that the agreement is not on file.
Marcos expressed his dismay to reporters, saying, “I am horrified by the idea that we have compromised the territory, the sovereignty, and the sovereign rights of the Philippines through a secret agreement.”.
China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea overlap with those of the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Brunei, covering nearly the whole area.
China has rejected a 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague that China’s claims lacked legal support. “.
Mikhail Flores handled reporting; Kanupriya Kapoor and Shri Navaratnam handled editing.
