Japan, U.S., Philippines Vow Cooperation Ahead of Summit

Tokyo, March 21 (Jiji Press)--Senior officials from Japan, the United States and the Philippines on Thursday vowed to work together ahead of their first-ever trilateral summit next month.

At their first vice-ministerial-level talks, the three countries shared their determination not to allow any unilateral attempt to change the status quo by force, with China's hegemonic moves in the East and South China seas in mind.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, U.S. President Joe Biden and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. are scheduled to hold a trilateral summit at the White House on April 11.

The day's meeting, held at the Japanese Foreign Ministry's Iikura Guest House in Tokyo, was attended by Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Masataka Okano, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell and Maria Theresa Lazaro, undersecretary of the Philippine Foreign Affairs Department.

They agreed to work together to maintain and strengthen a free and open international order based on the rule of law, vowing to boost cooperation in such fields as national security and defense cooperation, including maritime security, and energy security.

After the meeting, Campbell and Lazaro held talks with Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa at the Foreign Ministry in the Japanese capital.

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