TOKYO — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has clarified that the potential tripartite settlement between the Philippines and its two shut allies, the United States and Japan, remains to be an idea that needs to be additional mentioned.
Speaking to reporters on the flight again to Manila, Marcos mentioned that the Philippine delegation and their Japanese counterparts “haven’t talked about it in detail.”
“It’s just been a proposal… there is another proposal from the Japanese on a US-Japan-Philippines tripartite agreement,” the President mentioned.
In an interview with Japan’s Kyodo News, the chief government mentioned the federal government will evaluation the proposed tripartite deal between the Pacific nations.
“I think just part of the continuing process of strengthening our alliances because in these rather confusing, and I dare say dangerous, situations that we have, I’m not talking only about the South China Sea, I’m not only talking about the Indo-Pacific region but, of course, there is a conflict still ongoing in Ukraine and the rather disturbing effects that it has all around the world,” Marcos instructed Kyodo News.
The President, likewise, instructed the Philippine media that it must be additional mentioned as to “what exactly does [the tripartite agreement] entail.”
“[A]nd of course we have to talk to the Americans also para makita kung ano ba talagang roles that are going to be played should there be a tripartite agreement,” he mentioned.
“So ‘yung proposal is in concept pa lang, in principle pa lang. We really don’t have—we don’t really have details yet,” he added.
The President mentioned that the Philippine authorities will sit down with its Japanese and American counterparts to iron out the small print.
“As I said… it’s only been proposed in principle and that’s as far as it goes so far,” Marcos mentioned.
“Now we have to go back and go into the details of all of those different subjects,” he mentioned.
Marcos and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida earlier agreed to bolster Manila and Tokyo’s protection and safety relations.
The two Asian leaders agreed to have additional bilateral discussions on addressing regional and worldwide conditions, significantly within the Indo-Pacific area.
In a joint assertion, Marcos and Kishida resolved to “increase the defense capabilities of their own countries, and further strengthen overall security cooperation.”
This might be completed via strategic reciprocal port calls and plane visits, switch of extra protection gear and expertise, steady cooperation on previously-transferred protection gear, and capability constructing.
Marcos concluded his five-day official journey in Japan, which he mentioned would deliver a brand new decade of partnership between the 2 international locations. — BM, GMA Integrated News
Source: www.gmanetwork.com
