Philippines-United States alliance...

PAGE 1

Manalo posted on Twitter.

“We identified key initiatives to improve mutual understanding of our priorities & challenges and to strengthen our relationship in ways that would secure our peoples,” he added.

Austin, meanwhile, stressed that the U.S. “remains determined to support regional peace & prosperity in the [IndoPacific].”

“We deeply value our ironclad alliance & working shoulder-to-shoulder with such an indispensable ally & friend,” the U.S. official wrote on Twitter.

During Austin’s visit, the Philippines and the

U.S. agreed to have four new additional Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (Edca) sites across the archipelago. The Philippine Department of National Defense said that the “expansion of the Edca will make our alliance stronger and more resilient and will accelerate the modernization of our combined military especially in the realm of agriculture, so that the country’s agricultural acceleration would take place. capabilities.”

“Well number one, their number one that opens up, hindi lamang the useful exchange of technology, but that’s an important part of it. But also, investment in agriculture, and hopefully opening markets in Japan for our agricultural products. So that’s a very wide-ranging discussion, so yes, we hope to do a lot on that regard para ma-accelerate ‘yong ating agricultural development,” he added.

Marcos along with his delegation arrived at the Tokyo International Airport at 5:36 p.m. (Tokyo time) earlier. He is expected to meet members of Japan’s Imperial Family, along with key government officials like Kishida.

Marcos’ visit to Japan is his ninth official overseas trip since he took office. Prior to this, the President went to Indonesia and Singapore for his inaugural state visit, before flying off to New York for the UNGA.

He also went back to Singapore for business meetings in time for the Formula One Grand Prix, in a trip that was criticized by several progressive groups.

He then went to the 40th and 41st Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit in Cambodia, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Thailand, the Asean-European Union meet in Belgium last December, before visiting China for another state visit and Switzerland for the World Economic Forum.

Meanwhile, China said that U.S. actions “escalate regional tension and undermine regional peace and stability.”

The Philippines and China have an ongoing maritime row in the West Philippine Sea.

In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled that the Philippines has rights on the West Philippine Sea, invalidating China’s nine-dash line claim in the South China Sea.

Despite the ruling, Filipino fishers continue to experience aggression and harassment by China. (By Daniza Fernandez/Inquirer. net) n