US visit: Marcos arrives for PH-Japan-US trilateral meet

FILE PHOTO: President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. speaks at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit in San Francisco, California, United States, November 15, 2023. REUTERS/Carlos Barria/File Photo

WASHINGTON, D.C., United States —  President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has arrived here for a three-day visit to take part in the first trilateral meeting among the Philippines, Japan, and the US.

He arrived Wednesday at 7:53 p.m. (Eastern time) and was greeted by Filipino and American officials, including his cousin, Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez, and US Ambassador to the Philippines.

The President will participate in the three-country summit with US President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio at the White House on Thursday, April 11.

VP Duterte, Estrella, Bersamin to be caretakers during Marcos’ trip to US
Marcos is likewise anticipated to attend other meetings, but details of these have not yet been announced publicly.

Marcos had already met with Biden and Kishida on separate occasions, but they have yet to sit down in a trilateral meeting.

This is Marcos’ fourth visit to the United States since he took the presidency in 2022. His previous trips were in September 2022 for the 77th United Nations General Assembly in New York City; a five-day official in May 2023; and for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in California in November 2023.

Last April 4, National Security Adviser Eduardo Año told reporters that the West Philippine Sea issue is among the topics that would be discussed during the trilateral conference, adding that this would be a follow-up on Biden and Marcos’ last meeting in 2023.

According to Año, he has already spoken with his counterpart, US National Security Advisor Jacob Sullivan, about this visit of Marcos.

Tensions in the West Philippine Sea rose in the last few weeks as the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) again demonstrated hostile behaviors in Philippine waters.

Last week, CCG harassed Philippine vessels in the West Philippine Sea, specifically, in the vicinity of Rozul Reef, according to Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela.

On March 23, CCG fired water cannon at a Filipino-manned ship, which the PCG said sustained heavy damage while crew members suffered injuries. The Philippine vessel was en route to deliver supplies to military personnel stationed at the grounded BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal.

READ MORE: PH, Japan, US discuss trilateral cooperation in Tokyo ahead of April 11 summit