Amid fears U.S. President-elect Donald Trump could put pressure on its alliance partners, the top Japanese and Philippine diplomats have stressed the importance of ¡°good communication¡± with the incoming U.S. leader and the need to continue to build momentum for trilateral ties.
¡°We will approach the next U.S. administration to convey that the constructive commitment of the United States to this region is important, also for the United States itself,¡° Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya said Wednesday during a joint news conference with his Philippine counterpart, Enrique Manalo, in Manila.
Southeast Asia is located at a ¡°strategic pivot in the Indo-Pacific¡± and is a world economic growth center, Iwaya said, calling bilateral and trilateral ties with the U.S. ¡°vital for regional peace and stability.¡± Trilateral cooperation, in particular, will be ¡°highly important¡± going forward as Tokyo, Washington and Manila seek progress in key areas such maritime and economic security, critical infrastructure and cyberspace.
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