DFA: World awaits PH-Japan-US conference

Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA)Acting Deputy Undersecretary Hans Mohaimin Siriban says the world awaits the upcoming trilateral meeting of the Philippines, Japan, and the United States. INQUIRER FILES

MANILA, Philippines — China won’t be the only country anticipating the upcoming trilateral meeting of the Philippines, Japan, and the United States.

According to Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA)Acting Deputy Undersecretary Hans Mohaimin Siriban, the world awaits the conference that aims to fortify peace in the Indo-Pacific Region.

Siriban also said Friday that the meeting between President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and US President Joe Biden is unprecedented.

The meeting will take place on April 11 at the White House in Washington, D.C., USA.

READ: Marcos, Biden, Kishida to hold trilateral meet

“I think many countries are interested, and they are looking at what the trilateral summit will look like and what will happen, so I think it’s not just China but many, all countries, especially in the region, in Asean, I the Indo-Pacific, even in Europe, so many countries, I understand, are monitoring, expecting to, looking at what will happen,” Siriban said in a press briefing in Malacañang.

“It’s the first time that our three leaders will be meeting. It has never happened before,” he added.

Asked if this could be the start of a “big three” alliance between the Philippines, Japan, and US, Siriban said that the summit is still in its initial stages.

“I think this trilateral summit is in the initial stages. We are still developing the mechanisms to cooperate on a trilateral basis, but I think this trilateral cooperation should be seen as something that will help additional efforts in the region,” he said.