US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to visit Manila this week for a crucial trilateral meeting aimed at bolstering defense cooperation between the Philippines, the United States, and Japan.
Scheduled to arrive today March 18, Blinken will meet with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. at Malacañang on March 19, as confirmed by Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo.
The trilateral ministerial talks, scheduled for March 20, await confirmation from Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa. Negotiations between the Philippines and Japan for a reciprocal access agreement, facilitating large-scale military exercises, are currently underway.
Meanwhile, E.A.M Jaishankar will pay a five-day visit to Singapore, the Philippines and Malaysia beginning March 23 to boost bilateral ties and discuss regional issues of “mutual concern”.
