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MetroVanIndependent.com
June 2015
News Round-Up
Business, South China claim, top Pnoy’s Qatar drops
death penalty
agenda on Japan state visit next week on alleged
MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino is
expected to raise the West Philippine Sea
dispute during his meeting with Japanese
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Japan next
week.
Aquino will leave for Tokyo on June 2
for a state visit until June 5.
The President’s visit would boost
relations between the two countries on all
aspects including defense and security,
according to Foreign Affairs Assistant
Secretary for Asian and Pacific Affairs
Minda Cruz.
Malacañang has reiterated its position
that China should stop reclamation
activities in the West Philippine Sea,
Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. of the
Presidential Communications Operations
Office said.
On Thursday, US Defense Secretary
Ashton Carter told Defense Secretary
Voltaire Gazmin in a meeting in Hawaii
that Washington’s pledge to defend the
Philippines remained “ironclad” and called
for an end to land reclamation in the South
China Sea.
Asked about the message Aquino’s trip
would send to China amid concerns over
its reclamation activities, Cruz said the
meeting between the President and Abe
would focus on bilateral ties between the
Philippines and Japan.
But it would include enhanced relations
and cooperation on defense and security to
maintain peace and stability in the region,
Cruz said.
“It has always been that way…
The Philippines and Japan had been
cooperating on a lot of regional issues.
Both countries put importance on freedom
of navigation, observance of international
law, particularly the United Nations
Convention on the Law of the Sea as well
as the movement of free trade,” Cruz said.
Cruz said Japan had always been active
in helping the Philippine Coast Guard build
its capacity to patrol the country’s internal
waters.
She noted that the Philippines and
Japan had been allies in a lot of issues
being part of the Association of Southeast
Asian Nations Regional Forum and East
Asia Summit.
“The South China Sea issue is an issue
that remains important to us, and I think
to the rest of the region and the rest of
the world. So we expect this issue to be
discussed during the President’s state
visit,” Cruz said.
“So for the defense cooperation… we
have been very active in terms of capacity
building for the Philippines and training
between the two sides... I think that will
continue to be enhanced by both sides,”
she said.
Cruz expressed hope that the foreign
and defense ministers of the two countries
would be able to have regular meetings to
boost defense cooperation.
On Thur sday, Coloma said the
Philippine position had long been for the
observance of the status quo in the West
Philippine Sea, which was contrary to what
China was doing.
Coloma said the Philippines and other
countries, including the US had expressed
concern over China’s reclamation activities
in the South China Sea.
He added there was no reason to
doubt Washington’s promise of “ironclad”
support for the Philippines given its close
military and defense ties under the 1951
Mutual Defense Treaty and the Enhanced
Defense Cooperation Agreement.
Meanwhile, President Aquino will
address the Japanese parliament during
his state visit to Japan from June 2 to 5.
“I think it is of interest for Japan to see
how the Philippines has been doing,” she
said.
Cruz no FVBF