Duterte, Mike Pence attend ASEAN-US summit

SINGAPORE  – In yet another indication of improving relations between the Philippines and the United States, President Duterte attended yesterday the ASEAN-US summit. 

Duterte joined the “family picture” with the group led by Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong before they went into plenary session, followed by a closed-door session.

The President has been vocal against some US policies but feels similarities with US President Donald Trump, who skipped the event and sent Vice President Mike Pence.

Duterte also joined the picture taking at the East Asia Summit, along with the 10 country leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and of China, Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea and Taiwan.

It is not clear whether the President joined the plenary, where Secretaries Teodoro Locsin Jr. of Foreign Affairs, Carlos Dominguez III of Finance and Ramon Lopez of Trade were also seen attending. 

In his speech at the ASEAN-US summit, Pence stressed that “empire and aggression” have no place in the Indo-Pacific.

“The United States has taken decisive action to promote this vision across the region. And with the focus on prosperity, security and shared principles, we will continue to work with each of you to advance this vision across the Indo-Pacific, and I look forward to discussing those steps with you today,” he said. 

Locsin refused to speculate on Pence’s statements when asked if he referred to China’s supposed aggression in the South China Sea.

“Mike Pence was extremely convincing, he spoke very well, he had a complete grasp of different issues, again the main theme was world trade,” Locsin said. “The landscape today, especially in ASEAN, is devoted to the economic development of all the countries in the region. Then again he spoke very well on it.”

Meanwhile, Duterte personally thanked Japan on Wednesday for its assistance to the Philippines after Typhoon Ompong (Mangkut) ravaged the country and left more than 50 people dead and scores missing.

In his speech during the summit between ASEAN and Japan, he highlighted how the ASEAN countries should continue working together to address vulnerabilities brought about by drastic changes in climate that often cause massive destruction, loss of lives and damage to properties.  

“Nations – especially those in Southeast Asia – continue to be vulnerable to climate change and natural disasters. This is one area of major concern shared by both ASEAN and Japan,” Duterte said.

During the typhoon, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe expressed his deepest concerns over what happened to major areas in Luzon and the rest of the country. Japan also committed to provide the “maximum possible assistance including provision of emergency relief goods to the Philippines.”  

Noting how Japan handled disaster preparedness and how quickly it recovered from the impact of Typhoon Jebi, the Chief Executive pushed for greater collaboration to ensure the safety of many.

“This is a testament to Japan’s remarkable resilience and admirable ability to build back stronger communities. This is an area where ASEAN and Japan can clearly benefit from greater collaboration and sharing of best practices,” Duterte said.

 Drug-free Asean

Duterte, who is facing human rights issues over his war against illegal drugs, also urged better security cooperation with Japan and ASEAN in the fight against the drug menace. 

“There is greater security cooperation in counter-terrorism and a wider support for a drug-free ASEAN. There is also an intensified interaction with the ASEAN Coordinating Center for Humanitarian Assistance and the ASEAN Center for Biodiversity,” he said.

He added that he looks forward to the signing of the ASEAN-Japan Technical Cooperation Agreement to “further strengthen our people-to-people exchanges.”