The US Department of State confirmed that three senior officials from the Philippines, Japan, and the US met in Tokyo for the April 11 trilateral leaders’ summit.
In a readout, US Department of State Matthew Miller said Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell met with Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Okano Masataka and Philippine Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro was in Tokyo, Japan, on Thursday.
“Deputy Secretary Campbell, Vice Foreign Minister Okano, and Undersecretary Lazaro reiterated their collective commitment to maintaining peace and security in the Indo-Pacific, including in the South China Sea and East China Sea,” said Miller.
He added, “The Deputy Secretary and his counterparts also discussed trilateral cooperation in areas related to economic security and resilience, defense and security, the international law of the sea, including freedom of navigation, and growing people-to-people ties.”
“Deputy Secretary Campbell, Vice Foreign Minister Okano, and Undersecretary Lazaro reiterated their collective commitment to maintaining peace and security in the Indo-Pacific, including in the South China Sea and East China Sea,” Miller added.
The Deputy Secretary and his counterparts also discussed trilateral cooperation in economic security and resilience, defense and security, the international law of the sea, including freedom of navigation, and growing people-to-people ties.
According to Miller, the meeting follows a “series of senior-level engagements” between the nations to strengthen the trilateral cooperation between the Philippines, Japan, and the US.
“The Deputy Secretary and his counterparts also discussed plans for a leader-level trilateral summit to be held in Washington on April 11,” Miller detailed.
The US likewise confirmed that US President Joe Biden will host President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Japan Prime Minister Kishida Fumio at the White House.
At the summit, the three chief executives will discuss the trilateral cooperation between their nations to promote inclusive economic growth and emerging technologies and deepen peace and security in the Indo-Pacific and worldwide.
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