JAPAN'S PM ABE ENDS HIS VISIT WITH PLEDGES OF INVESTMENTS, SPEEDBOATS
Abe adopts 2-year-old female Philippine Eagle named Sakura
He shared a breakfast of mung soup and rice cakes in President Rodrigo Duterte’s home in Davao, adopted an endangered Philippine eagle named Sakura and sampled some durian. Before he left for Australia, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also pledged $8.7 billion worth of business opportunities and private investments, along with counter-terrorism equipment like speedboats.Abe said he welcomed Duterte’s efforts to improve Philippine relations with China.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is on his way to Australia after a two-day visit to the Philippines, during which he pledged $8.7 billion worth of business opportunities and private investments along with speedboats and other counterterrorism equipment.
He left for Sydney Friday from Davao City, President Rodrigo Duterte’s hometown. The two leaders shared breakfast of mung soup and rice cakes in Duterte’s home.
They posed for pictures with businesspeople in a hotel and attended a ceremony to name an endangered Philippine eagle Sakura, or cherry blossom, in Abe’s honor. Abe adopted Sakura, a two-yearold female Philippine eagle rescued last December from Pantaron Range in Talaingod town, Compostela Valley province.
The two leaders also ate durian fruit at the hotel’s garden as dancers performed to the beat of brass gong before sitting down for lunch.
Following talks with Duterte in Manila on Thursday, Abe welcomed the Philippine leader’s efforts to improve Manila’s ties with Beijing “in light of the arbitral award,” referring to the Philippines’ victory in an arbitration ruling declaring China’s claims to the South China Sea invalid.
China has refused to recognize the July 12 arbitration decision and has warned the United States and other countries not involved in the territorial row not to meddle in the disputes, which Beijing wants to be settled through one-on-one negotiations with other rival claimant countries like the Philippines.
Abe, however, said “the issue of the South China Sea is linked directly to regional peace and stability and is a concern to the entire international community.”
Abe and Duterte witnessed the signing of a number of agreements and the exchange of documents, including a Japanese grant of 600 million yen ($5 million) for boats and other counterterrorism equipment for the Philippine coast guard.
Abe’s two-day visit to Manila aims to further solidify relations with the Philippines at a time when Duterte is cozying up to China and Russia while taking a hostile stance toward Tokyo’s main ally, the United States. Japan is among the top trading partners of the Philippines and one of its largest aid providers.
The Philippines is Abe’s first stop in a four-nation swing as he presses efforts to boost Japan’s trade and security engagements amid China’s rise to Asian dominance. He will later travel to Australia, Indonesia and Vietnam.
Accompanied by his wife and a business delegation, Abe is the first head of state to visit since Duterte took office in June. It’s an important affirmation of Duterte’s leadership at a time when he faces domestic and international criticism for a brutal crackdown on illegal drugs.