MANILA -- The historic trilateral meeting between the leaders of the US, Japan and the Philippines is only the beginning of a concerted effort to address the many complex issues facing the world, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region.
“This meeting can be just a beginning,” Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. told the trilateral summit in Washington on Thursday. “Facing the complex challenges of our time requires concerted efforts on everyone’s part, a dedication to a common purpose, and an unwavering commitment to the rules-based international order,” he said.
Marcos highlighted the importance of the historic trilateral cooperation between the Philippines, the US and Japan saying it is an opportunity for all three nations to define the future they want and how to achieve it together.
“Today’s summit is an opportunity to define the future we want, and how we intend to achieve it. Together,” President Marcos stressed.
He said the trilateral cooperation is borne as a natural progression of the deepening relations and robust cooperation between and among the three countries linked by a profound respect for democracy, good governance, and the rule of law.
“Today’s historic summit is a culmination of several preparatory engagements between our Foreign Ministries, our National Security Advisers, and our Vice Ministers, as well as the conduct of trilateral maritime exercises and joint development cooperation,” President Marcos said.
President Marcos described the trilateral summit as “a meeting that looks ahead.”
As the three countries deepen their ties and enhance their coordination, President Marcos said they seek to identify ways of growing their economies and making them more resilient, climate-proofing cities and societies, and sustaining progress and forging a peaceful world for the next generation.
The diplomatic relations between the Philippines and the US span 77 years since its formal establishment on July 4, 1946 while the Philippines and Japan celebrated 67 years of normalized relations since July 23, 1956 and are strategic partners since 2011. (PND)
