ShareThisSecurity ties amid tension with China up in PHL talks
WASHINGTON/MANILA (PhilAmPress) – Finally, United States President Barack Obama will visit the Philippines this April.
White House announced here the US leader’s visit to Manila which includes travel to Japan, the Republic of Korea, and Malaysia.
Obama’s visits to Manila and Kuala Lumpur are intended to make up for his no-show when he cancelled a previous Asia tour in October after the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Bali, Indonesia and the US-ASEAN Dialogue and East Asia Summit in Bali and in Brunei amid domestic political strife in Washington highlighted by a government shutdown.
The visit is also intended to quell doubts in the region about Obama’s strategy of rebalancing US power to Asia, following the cancellation of his last planned trip there in October due to the US federal government shutdown.
The upcoming trip is part of the President’s “ongoing commitment to increase U.S. diplomatic, economic and security engagement with countries in the Asia-Pacific region,” spokesman Jay Carney said in a statement.
Obama had to cancel a scheduled trip to Asia in October due to a 16-day government shutdown caused by a budget impasse in Congress, a travel that would have taken him to Bali, Indonesia for an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, and to Brunei for an ASEAN-U.S. summit and an East Asia summit. His absence has raised questions about Washington’s commitment to its rebalance to the region
National Security Advisor Susan Rice first announced that President Obama would be traveling to Asia in April during a speech she gave at Georgetown University on U.S. Asia policy last November.
In Manila, Malacanang hailed the planned visit pointing out that “it will provide a new momentum to the Philippines-US relations.”
The US leader may take up the ongoing recovery and rehabilitation work by American agencies in Tacloban City and other areas battered by the super typhoon Yolanda where some 10,000 people perished. Obama was the first world leader to send assistance to the region and helped in the search and rescue operations.
Mr. Obama’s visit comes at a time when there is an increasing tension with China and Japan and China and the Philippines over disputed claims on islands and reefs.
The tension deepened when China declared in November its East China Sea Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) in the East China Sea and its own economic zone in South China Sea which encompasses Philippine territory in the West Philippine Sea.
China also created a new city in South China Sea which included the disputed Panatag Shoals and other islands and reefs in the Philippine territory and United Nations-recognized economic zone.
Tension also rose between Japan and South Korea and Seoul and North Korea which maybe the reason Obama added Seoul to his trip in April.
due to the escalating tensions in the region since China announced its East China Sea Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) in November of last year. America has also been pushing Japan and South Korea to mend ties, a theme Obama will likely take up during his trip.
In a statement, the White House said that Mr. Obama’s visit to Asia in late April is part of his ongoing commitment to increase U.S. diplomatic, economic and security engagement with countries in the Asia-Pacific region.
“In Japan, the President will meet with Prime Minister Abe to highlight the historic steps the United States and Japan are taking to modernize our 54-year alliance, deepen our economic ties, including through the Trans-Pacific Partnership, and expand our cooperation on a range of diplomatic challenges in Asia and globally,” it added.
The President will then travel to the Republic of Korea, where he will meet with President Park Geun-Hye to reaffirm the United States’ commitment to a strong alliance, review recent developments in North Korea and the combined efforts to promote denuclearization.
The two leaders will also discuss ongoing implementation of the Korea-United States Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
In Malaysia, the President will meet with Prime Minister Najib of Malaysia to showcase the substantial progress made in deepening diplomatic, economic, and defense ties with such an important partner in Southeast Asia.
According to the announcement, President Obama will then travel to the Philippines, the fifth Asian treaty ally he will have visited during his presidency.
In Manila, the US President will meet with President Aquino “to highlight our economic and security cooperation, including through the modernization of our defense alliance, efforts to expand economic ties and spark economic growth through the Partnership for Growth, and through our deep and enduring people-to-people ties.”
Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) confirmed that President Obama is set to visit late April this year.
The PCOO chief further said that the alliance includes the expanding of security, economic and people to people ties.
“President Obama’s visit will provide a new momentum to Philippine-US relations and strengthen the partnerships of the two nations in many areas,” he added.
He said part of the talks on security would be on the West Philippine Sea dispute with China and with other Southeast Asian countries.
But he said he did not have details on a new agreement being worked out by the US and the Philippines.
He said that there is no concrete information on what particular topics will be discussed between the two Presidents since the agenda is still being completed.
Obama is expected to return again to Asia later in the year for regional summits in Australia, Beijing and Myanmar. (PhilAmPress/Claire Morales True)