The White House told reporters on Monday, March 18, that US President Joe Biden will host Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for a summit in Washington on April 11 to discuss economic relations and the Indo-Pacific situation.
White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre said the three would "discuss trilateral cooperation to promote inclusive economic growth and emerging technologies, advance clean energy supply chains and climate cooperation, and further peace and security in the Indo-Pacific and around the world."
Reuters quoted Marcos when he previously said that his country's sovereignty and territorial jurisdiction were essential principles should there be a resumption of joint exploration talks with China in the South China Sea.
Filipino news site Rappler added that Marcos and Biden would have a separate meeting to "review the historic momentum in US-Philippines relations and discuss efforts to expand cooperation on economic security, clean energy, people-to-people ties, and human rights and democracy."
Meanwhile, The Japan Times reported that Kishida would be treated to a lavish state dinner and hold policy talks at the White House while the United States is currently in the election campaign season. This would once again pit Biden as the Democratic candidate against former US President and Republican nominee Donald Trump.
Japanese chief cabinet secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told a news conference on Tuesday morning local time (Mar. 19) that the talks would provide a boost to "the free and open international order based on the rule of law."
"With the US-Japan alliance as a cornerstone, it is essential to deepen our cooperation across a wide range of fields with like-minded countries such as the Philippines to maintain peace and prosperity in the region," he added.
Kishida and Biden could also discuss a potential deal for Japanese shipyards to overhaul and maintain US Navy warships despite Biden's opposition to Nippon Steel purchasing US Steel.
Marcos, Kishida, and US Vice President Kamala Harris had an informal meeting on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Jakarta back in September 2023.
The foreign ministers of the three countries also met in the same month, laying the foundation for trilateral cooperation between the US and two of its Asian treaty-allies, especially regarding their mutual opposition to China.
