Naging mabunga umano ang naging bilateral meeting nina Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte at Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe sa sidelines ng 35th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits sa Bangkok, Thailand.
Sinabi ni Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo, sinamantala ni Pangulong Duterte na ipaabot kay Abe ang pakikiramay sa pinsala at pagkawala ng ilang buhay sa pananalasa ng bagyong Hagibis, gayundin sa sunog na tumupok sa Shuri castle.
Ayon kay Sec. Panelo, ipinaabot din naman ni Abe kay Pangulong Duterte ang pakikidalamhati at simpatiya sa magkakasunod na lindol sa Mindanao.
Sa nasabing meeting, tinalakay din ng dalawang lider ang ilang regional at international issues na kapwa may concern ang Pilipinas at Japan gaya ng South China Sea at Korean Peninsula.
Sa isyu ng South China Sea, pinag-usapan nina Pangulong Duterte at Abe ang pagbuo ng Code of Conduct sa pagtugon sa tensyon sa apektadong rehiyon habang sa Korean Peninsula, tinalakay ng dalawang lider ang pinakabagong ballistic missile launch ng North Korea at matagal ng isyu ng pagdukot sa mga Japanese nationals.
Kaugnay naman sa domestic front, pinag-usapan nina Pangulong Duterte at Abe ang ilang areas for cooperation gaya ng peace process sa Mindanao, Build-Build-Build infrastructure projects, ang development ng Subic Bay, pagpapadala ng Filipino skilled labor force saJapan, agricultural trade (including tariffs of Philippine bananas and other fruits), isyu ng comfort women at partisipasyon ng Japan-trained Filipino gymnast Carlos Yulo sa 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics.
“Both leaders likewise touched on subjects of regional and international concern, such as the issue surrounding the South China Sea and the situation in the Korean Peninsula. On the South China Sea issue, both leaders discussed the drafting of the Code of Conduct to address tensions in the affected region while on the situation in the Korean Peninsula, both leaders talked about the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s latest ballistic missle launch and the longstanding issue of abduction of Japanese nationals,” ani Sec. Panelo.
“The recently concluded bilateral meeting has underscored the stronger strategic partnership between our two nations through the leadership of both leaders.”
