THE significant trilateral summit in Washington White House among President Joe Biden as host and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is seen as a firm gear for the security of the Indo-Pacific region.
Communications Secretary Cheloy Garafil, in a statement soon after President Marcos returned home from the summit, said “Biden and Kishida, in the historic summit, forged a stronger trilateral alliance with the Philippines as they vowed to protect the Indo-Pacific region.”
President Marcos, in his opening remarks during the trilateral meeting, said the Philippines’ friendship and partnership with the US and Japan are “bound by a shared vision and pursuit of a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific region” amid challenges to the international rules-based order.
We heard the Filipino chief of state rather clearly that the partnership was indeed not born out of convenience nor of expediency “but as a natural progression of deepening relations and robust cooperation among our three nations, linked by a profound respect for democracy, good governance, and the rule of law.”
The President hit the spot when he said the challenges of our time require concerted efforts on everyone’s part, “a dedication to a common purpose, and unwavering commitment to the rules-based international order.”
He described the Washington summit “a meeting that looks ahead” and can be “just a beginning” which gave the three leaders the opportunity to define for their countries, and for the world in the long term, what they want to attain as one.
It was the Chinese philosopher Laozi who was reported to have said “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” And the White House meeting might just be that single step.
We hope the oftimes assurance by Washington to Tokyo and Manila about the former’s “ironclad” defense commitments to the latter are not just ornate way with words – particularly as the United States faces a presidential election this year.
While it is heartening to hear President Biden describe President Marcos and Prime Minister Kishida as “friends and partners” we want to believe that the Washington meeting was indeed anchored on building an Indo-Pacific that “is free, open, prosperous and secure for all” through the deepened ties of the three countries.
Given the geopolitical tensions in the region, we agree the three allies, standing as one, were able to forge what they said was a “a better future for all.”
We do not want to remain in disbelief.