PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte assured visiting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe that the Philippines would continue to cooperate with the United States, which will remain an important force in the region, a senior Cabinet official said Friday.
“In one of the significant things I heard from the prime minister’s visit, he pointed out that the… strong relationship and friendship between Japan and the Philippines will also open the door for us to engage in other areas of joint cooperation,” said Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr.
These include how to deal with the United States and let them understand the geo-political situation and realities on the ground, Yasay said.
Abe, who visited the country as part of a six-day, four-country tour, reaffirmed Japan’s partnership with the Philippines, which chairs the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations this year.
Japan, a key ally of the United States, has been concerned over China’s growing aggressiveness in the South China Sea, and Duterte’s pivot to China.
In a 45-minute talk, Abe reminded Duterte that the US presence will be a big help to maintain regional peace and prosperity.
“It is in this respect that I feel and I agree with the Japanese Prime Minister that we should strengthen our relationship with the United States and our relationship with everyone. This will create a balance that will be conducive for everyone, to the peace and prosperity and stability in this region,” Yasay said.
During the joint summit meetings Friday, Abe tried to remind Duterte on the final judgement of the arbitral court ruling on the South China Sea, as he underlined the need to implement the rule of law for the peaceful resolution of disputes.
The disconnect came, however, after Duterte responded that he supported Japan in its pursuits, “without making any mention to the West Philippine Sea issue,” a Cabinet source said.
While the country’s neighbors such as Indonesia and Vietnam firmly opposed China’s militarization efforts in the disputed waters, Duterte instead seeks to build better ties with China, citing the better opportunities under Beijing’s wing following the Obama administration’s criticism on his war against illegal drugs.
During the press conference last Thursday, Abe said that welcomed Duterte’s move to improve relations between Philippines and China in the light of the territorial row in disputed waters.
Abe pledged ¥1 trillion in aid to the Philippines spread over five years.
Yasay said that while Japan may not be as close to China, Manila will maintain its close relationship with Beijing and Tokyo—calling it a “balance of friendship that is fair with everybody.”
Yasay added that Manila’s closer relationship with China will not erode our closer relationship with Japan and the United States.
“We will be friends with everybody,” he said.
In Davao City, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said Friday he is confident that the country’s strategic location will make it a good investment destination for Japanese companies in Asia, who can use the Philippines as the gateway to a combined market of 620-million people in the Asean region.
“If you sum up the population of all those countries in Asean, plus six other countries, that is already one half of the world’s population, and it covers one-third of the world’s economy,” said Lopez, noting that the Philippines is also strategically closer to world’s advanced economies such as China, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, India, and Japan.
The economy, he added, was in a “sweet spot” in which more young Filipino workers are entering the labor force.
“If you imagine, many of these young [people] are empowered, educated, and with purchasing power. In effect, you will have a wider base of consumers,” he said.
The country’s strong fundamentals will also help draw more foreign direct investments, he added.
“It is the fastest growing economy. There is a revival of manufacturing, growing by eight percent higher than the service sector, which continues to grow by 6.1 percent,” he said.
Economic officials were upbeat after the Business Forum with Japanese investors, saying more investments from Japan can be expected to pour int, particularly in Mindanao.
Mindanao Development Authority Secretary Datu Abdul Khayr Alonto, in his presentation, said the region was honored by the historic visit to Davao City of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and a delegation of Japanese officials and business leaders.
“The visit does not only rekindle the historic ties shared between Davao City and Japan, but has brought the Philippine-Japan relations to a new level, one founded on shared aspiration for Mindanao’s peace, progress and formation,” Alonto said
Some 100 investors—20 from the Japanese delegation—gathered for the investment forum here.
Alonto said Mindanao has the key ingredients for a prime investment area, with abundant of primary resources, including minerals.
Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. president Ronald Go, for his part, said better things are yet to come in Mindanao.
“With a G7 leader finally visiting Davao, we are excited with the prospects for more business opportunities here. He shows not only the people of Japan that he is confident in this area, but the rest of the world as well,” Go said.
He added that the visit by the Japanese delegation composed of business leaders augurs well for the increased economic activity for Davao City
Abe had breakfast at President Duterte’s house in Doña Luisa Subd., Ecoland Friday Morning, where he was served traditional Filipino food such as biko, suman, kutsinta and one of the President’s favorite dishes, mongo soup.
Duterte toured Abe around his house and showed him the master’s bedroom with the now-famous mosquito net.
Duterte who is known to be a night person, woke up early to welcome his guest.
Abe is the first foreign leader to visit the country under Duterte’s administration.
On Thursday, Abe promised ¥1 trillion in aid to the Philippines to show that the Japanese government supports the country.
Duterte said he and Abe were “more than brothers,” said Japan’s Foreign Press Secretary Yasuhisa Kawamura said.
“Japan and the Philippines are not simply friends but we are more than that. We are brothers,” he told reporters in an interview.
“So this represents how our two countries are close in terms of relations. This is an eloquent reflection of the existing confidence, trust in the Philippines,” added Kawamura.
Abe was the first head of state who visited the home city of Duterte under his administration.
As a symbol of the growing friendship and partnership of Philippines and Japan, the leaders’ spouses, Akie and Honeylet, also graced the event.
Abe adopted a Philippine eagle rescued by indigenous people in Talaingod in Davao del Norte. The eagle was named “Sakura” during Friday’s event at the Waterfront Hotel garden area.
Later on Friday, Abe and his wife Akie were welcomed by the students of Mindanao Kokusai Daigaku, the biggest Japanese school in the city.
