MANILA – The enhanced safety and protection cooperation between Japan and the Philippines might ease tensions within the West Philippine Sea, a political analyst mentioned Saturday.
Froilan Calilung, a political science professor on the University of Santo Tomas, gave this statement after the 2 international locations agreed to debate “in-depth” points regarding regional and worldwide conditions, together with collaboration in the direction of realizing a “free and open Indo-Pacific.”
The plan, he mentioned, indicators a “very good” message to international locations just like the United States (US) and China that the safety dimension is “not being monopolized by the regional or the world superpowers themselves.”
“One of the things that I think is very good here in so far as this event was concerned, is that both the leaders from the Philippines and Japan agree very well on how we could attain iyong tinatawag nating (the so-called) free and open Indo-Pacific, which is very good because that will create or defuse some tensions or potential conflicts away of course from the very contentious issue of the West Philippine Sea,” Calilung mentioned throughout the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City.
“So, maganda iyong mga cooperative patterns na ito (these cooperative patterns are good). What the President we have right now, definitely is more statesman-like,” he added.
On Thursday, the Philippines and Japan reaffirmed their protection and safety cooperation throughout the second day of Marcos’ working go to to Tokyo.
In a joint assertion, Marcos and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida vowed to strengthen the 2 nations’ protection and safety cooperation by way of “strategic reciprocal port calls and aircraft visits, transfer of more defense equipment and technology, continuous cooperation previously-transferred defense equipment and capacity building.”
‘Globalization president’
The professor mentioned the Philippines would reap the advantages of Marcos’ five-day working go to to Japan, given the “very positive” response from the Japanese authorities and personal leaders.
“We were treated to a lot of economic, investments and even health, tourism aspects that were brought about by this trip. And I think this is very, very positive for the country,” he mentioned.
Calilung additionally praised Marcos for advertising and marketing the Philippines effectively in Japan, and even dubbed the latter as a “globalization president” who “understands the dynamics of globalization.”
“He (Marcos) understands very well how bilateral and multilateral integration works, especially in the contemporary world or contemporary setting. He is also very, very articulate regarding his ideas,” he mentioned.
“I think this is one of the reasons why many of the world’s countries and leaders would like to meet with him or touch base with him because of his deep sense of understanding. Let us not forget, that whenever we have foreign trips like this or state visits like this, it’s not only us who actually learn and benefit. These other countries also wished to do the same, they also wished to learn from us, a thing or two,” Calilung added.
Marcos’ go to to Japan has up to now resulted within the signing of seven bilateral agreements and 35 funding offers.
Marcos is anticipated to return to Manila on Sunday. (PNA)