PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday said that greater political, economic and defense cooperation between the Philippines and its “true friend” Japan will be on top of his list as he embarks on a three-day official visit to Tokyo.
Speaking before reporters at the Manila airport before he left, Duterte said that his trip to Japan is a “visit that is most-awaited.”
“This official visit will be a valuable opportunity to further deepen and broaden the Philippine’ relationship with Japan, our valued strategic partner and one of our true friends,” Duterte said before leaving for Tokyo on Tuesday.
“We will discuss, among others, greater politico-social and defense cooperation particularly in maritime domain awareness and maritime security.”
“With Japan as the Philippines’ top trading partner, I shall seek the sustainment and further enhancement of our important economic ties.”
In his three-day trip, Duterte will be meeting with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Emperor Akihito, which opens “the way for discussions on key issues of mutual importance to our countries and peoples.”
“The visit will be an opportunity for me to personally thank Japan for its preeminent and peerless role as the Philippines’ development partner. I shall seek the strengthening of this role through more high-impact projects that will benefit our nation.”
“This is an important time for Philippines-Japan relations as we advance an independent foreign policy in our engagement with the community of nations,” he added.
Duterte will also meet with Japanese business leaders and tell them “that the Philippines is open for business.”
To support the Philippines’ sustained growth and development, Duterte would also open avenues of cooperation in key infrastructure development.
Mindanao will be a central focus of his trip to Japan, as he moves towards “a just and lasting peace and development.”
The Philippines and Japan have long been key US allies in Asia, but Duterte has done a dramatic U-turn since coming to office in late June.
That appeared to culminate last week in Beijing where he declared his “separation” from the United States, played down a maritime dispute with China and pledged to enhance friendship and economic ties.
Back home on Saturday, however, the former mayor seemed to walk back his comments, saying he would not be severing the alliance with Washington.
And on Monday, he went further, telling Japanese media that the US will remain the country’s sole military ally.
“The alliances are alive, it is there,” he said in a reference to the United States, according to Kyodo News. “There should be no worry about changes of alliances. I do not need to have alliances with other nations.”
Other Japanese media including the top-selling Yomiuri Shimbun quoted him as saying that all military activities with the US should be halted.
His seesawing has been closely watched in Japan, a major investor and aid donor to Manila that is wary of China’s rising influence.
“It is important to have good communication and to listen directly to what Mr Duterte has in mind,” Japanese foreign minister Fumio Kishida, who will dine with the president later Tuesday, told reporters when asked about the firebrand leader’s elusive comments on ties with Washington.
Japan’s Asahi Shimbun newspaper said that improvement in diplomatic relations among “neighboring nations” is desirable in principle.
“But if they disrespect the rule of law for the sake of narrow bilateral interest, that would be a grave concern for the Asian region,” it said in a Saturday editorial, referring to Duterte’s Beijing visit.
Duterte told Japanese public broadcaster NHK that his talks with Abe will center on economic cooperation and “shared interest” in an interview ahead of his three-day visit.
“Now the most important thing there is the shared interest… it’s about the South China Sea,” he said.
Duterte has made a habit of hurling sharp, even profane, verbal barbs at the US and President Barack Obama, which resulted in Washington cancelling talks between them at an Asean summit last month.
But Kunihiko Miyake, a former Japanese diplomat and visiting professor at Ritsumeikan University, warned against reading too much into such rhetoric.
“President Duterte is an anti-US nationalist and populist leader, which doesn’t necessarily mean he is pro-China,” Miyake said.
Still, he noted the need to “watch closely” his words and actions.
In recent months Abe has criticized China for rejecting the international tribunal ruling, which said Beijing’s expansive claims to the waters had no legal basis.
At talks Wednesday, Duterte and Abe are expected to agree on expanding ties in areas of “maritime security and defense cooperation”, a Japanese embassy official in Manila told reporters. With AFP
