The Philippines and Japan ensured peace and sustainability in the Indo-Pacific region with the signing of their Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) on Monday, officials said.
“This is another milestone in our shared endeavor to ensure a rules-based international order to ensure peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific and particularly in our region,” Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said in his opening remarks during his meeting with Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara at Shangri-La The Fort in Taguig City.
“We look forward to putting into flesh, so the speak, the steps forward now that we have upgraded our partnership one level higher by the signing of the reciprocal access agreement,” he added.
According to Teodoro, the RAA will add to the multilateral efforts of the two countries to make sure that international laws are respected in the region.
The Philippines and Japan also work hand in hand in establishing a global architecture to ensure sustainable peace and stability in the area.
With the RAA, Teodoro said the Philippines is looking forward to more confidence-building measures between the Japanese Self-Defense Forces and the Armed Forces of the Philippines
“We look forward to more confidence-building measures between the Japanese Self-Defense Forces and the Armed Forces of the Philippines and both our departments so that our shared vision and goals can be realized,” he said.
For his part, Kihara pointed out the RAA with the Philippines is importance for Japan as the former is a key junction to his country’s sea lanes.
“The Philippines and other Southeast Asian Nations are situated in a very strategically important region. It is a key junction of Japan’s sea lanes,” he said through a translator.
“Advancing defense cooperation and exchanges with the Philippines is important for Japan. And beyond our bilateral relations, Japan is also keen to deepen trilateral and quadrilateral ties such as Japan, the Philippines, the United States—or Japan, the Philippines, United States, and Australia.”
“We look forward of working closely with the Philippines to contribute to the peace and stability of the region,” he added. — Joviland Rita/RSJ, GMA Integrated News
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