Viet leader arrives in PHL to meet PNoy, attend WEF. Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung waves during his arrival at the NAIA on Wednesday, May 21, for a working visit to the country. The Vietnamese premier will meet President Benigno Aquino III “to discuss matters of mutual concern, including cooperative activities in defense, tourism, and trade and investment,” Malacañang said. He will also attend the 23rd world Economic Forum on East Asia. Danny Pata
Malacañang on Wednesday denied that the Philippines and Vietnam were coming together against China even after both countries experienced what they believe were territorial violations by the giant neighbor in disputed waters of the South China Sea.
Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda made the remark hours before the scheduled meeting between President Benigno Aquino III and Vietnamiese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.
“That’s not the proper context to it. The Prime Minister is also here for the WEF [World Economic Forum],” presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said during a press conference.
Lacierda did say that the two leaders were expected to talk about “bilateral, economic, and defense cooperation.”
Dung said China was slandering his country and was committing dangerous violations in disputed waters after it deployed a giant oil rig in an area also claimed by Vietnam.
Aquino on Monday said that China defied its declaration with ASEAN countries on the conduct of parties in the South China Sea with its extensive land reclamation activities at the Johnson Reef or the Mabini Reef.
Lacierda said it wasn’t accurate to assume that the two countries were coming together against China even though they have “a commonality with respect to our dispute with China.”
“This is an issue that has been tackled with the ASEAN as a whole, where certain statements have been made before the ASEAN Leaders’ Meeting. So hindi naman siguro tama na ‘yun ‘yung konteksto ng pagmi-meeting nila,” he said.
Aquino and Dung are expected to issue a joint press statement after an expanded bilateral meeting scheduled at 4:35 p.m. on Wednesday.
Indonesia
Aside from the Vietnamese leader, Aquino will also meet Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono later this week.
Yudhoyono will be in in Manila for a three-day state visit on top of attending the World Economic Forum for East Asia.
Lacierda said Yudhoyono will also be given the Global Statesmanship Award when he attends the WEF-EA on Thursday. Yudhoyono will also witness the official turnover to Indonesia of the 24th WEF-EA in 2015.
On Friday, the Indonesian leader will then meet with the President to discuss “matters of mutual concern, including political, defense and border, maritime, economic, and socio-cultural cooperation.”
Yudhoyono will also be conferred with the Order of Sikatuna with rank of Raja during the state dinner to be hosted in his honor, Lacierda said.
It will be Yudhoyono’s first bilateral visit to Manila since he became Indonesia’s president for two consecutive terms in 2004 and 2009. Aquino, on the other hand, went to Jakarta for a state visit in March 2011.
Indonesia was the 13th major trading partner of the Philippines in 2013, with a total trade of $3.512 billion. There are at least 9,844-Filipinos living and working in Indonesia. — NB/KG, GMA News
