Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. agreed Tuesday to enhance economic and defense cooperation, affirming their opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the East and South China Seas through force or coercion.
In a bilateral meeting held in Manila, Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. reaffirmed their countries’ shared commitment to regional peace and stability, particularly amid growing tensions with China in disputed maritime areas.
The two leaders emphasized the importance of upholding international law and pledged to oppose any efforts to alter the status quo in the East and South China Seas. Japan and the Philippines have separate maritime disputes with China, making regional security a central theme of their discussion.
Ishiba’s visit to the Philippines is part of a four-day Southeast Asia tour that included Vietnam. This marks his third trip to the region since taking office in October, signaling Tokyo’s renewed diplomatic engagement with its Southeast Asian partners.
The meeting also touched on economic collaboration, with both leaders expressing interest in advancing cooperation across key sectors such as telecommunications, energy, mineral resources, and agriculture. They also discussed restarting negotiations on “reciprocal” tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Ishiba highlighted the value of the trilateral partnership between Japan, the Philippines, and the United States, formalized in Washington in April, as essential to maintaining a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific.
President Marcos described the visit as “fruitful” and announced plans to begin negotiations on acquisition and cross-servicing agreements with Japan, reflecting Manila’s intent to deepen its strategic alliance with Tokyo.
“As we approach the 70th anniversary of the normalization of our diplomatic ties in 2026, we look forward to a robust and dynamic partnership with Japan,” Marcos said.
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The United States has issued an international warning accusing Chinese firms, including AI start-up DeepSeek, of allegedly stealing intellectual property from American artificial intelligence labs.
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Diplomatic efforts to end the Iran war are intensifying, with the White House confirming that U.S. President Donald Trump will send special envoy Steve Witkoff and adviser Jared Kushner to Islamabad for talks with Iran under Pakistani mediation.
Argentina has reiterated its interest in resuming talks with the United Kingdom over the Falkland Islands, a disputed archipelago in the South Atlantic, after reports that an internal Pentagon email suggested reviewing Washington’s support for the UK’s claim amid tensions over the Iran war.
Russian emergency services have contained a major fire at the Tuapse oil refinery on the Black Sea coast, local officials said on Thursday, ending a four-day effort after a Ukrainian drone strike.
Slovenia’s national broadcaster RTV Slovenia has confirmed it will not air the Eurovision Song Contest 2026, joining a widening boycott over Israel’s participation.
Militants have staged coordinated attacks in Mali’s capital, Bamako, and several locations across the country, the army said on Saturday (25 April), in an assault apparently involving jihadist and Tuareg-led groups.
Two men were killed after the United States carried out a missile strike on a suspected drug-trafficking boat in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Friday (24 April), the military said.
Argentina has reiterated its interest in resuming talks with the United Kingdom over the Falkland Islands, a disputed archipelago in the South Atlantic, after reports that an internal Pentagon email suggested reviewing Washington’s support for the UK’s claim amid tensions over the Iran war.
China has urged the European Union to take its concerns seriously over new cybersecurity and digital regulations, warning they could create difficulties for Chinese companies operating in Europe.
Russia and Ukraine have swapped prisoners of war, according to officials on both sides. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said 193 prisoners, including soldiers and border guards, had been returned from Russia, some injured and facing criminal charges.
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