The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Monday vowed to follow up on the agreements forged by the Philippines and Japan during President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s visit there early this year.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo is currently in Japan to participate in the Munich Leaders Meeting (MLM) and engage in policy discussions until May 16.
The DFA said Manalo will meet with Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa “to exchange views on recent developments and identify next steps to implement understandings and agreements” reached between President Marcos and Prime Minister Kishida Fumio last February.
However, his visit is mainly focused on joining policymakers and experts in sharing insights on a range of issues, including the Indo-Pacific security architecture, nuclear security, and new partnership opportunities arising from the shifting geopolitical landscape in the region and beyond.
Manalo is also scheduled to meet with Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid of Maldives.
The officials are expected to discuss ways to enhance bilateral relations, which will mark its 50th year in 2024, and to further cooperation between the Philippines and Maldives in regional and global fora, including on climate change.
Manalo will also deliver a policy address to touch upon Philippines-Japan Strategic Partnership and the rules-based order upon the invitation of Japan’s National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS).
“The relationship between the Philippines and Japan is a remarkable journey of friendship, cooperation, and mutual respect. From the ashes of war, we have forged a comprehensive and largely outcomes-based Strategic Partnership that is anchored on shared values,” Manalo said.
“As the world undergoes profound transformations, driven by new technologies, power dynamics, and societal changes, the Philippines and Japan must continue to work together to ensure that the principles enshrined in the UN (United Nations) Charter and the rules-based order that has been the bedrock of international peace and stability these past decades, are upheld and strengthened,” he added.
According to the Munich Security Conference, which is the host and organizer of the MLM, the Munich Security Meeting in Tokyo “aims to connect European and American leaders with their counterparts in the Indo-Pacific region to discuss ideas on how to contribute to regional and global stability.”
It takes place in the days leading up to the 49th G7 Summit to be held on May 19 to 21 in Hiroshima, Japan.