South China Sea to be tackled in Marcos-Biden meeting — NSA

National Security Adviser Eduardo Año said Thursday that the rising tensions in the South China Sea would be among the topics which would be discussed during the bilateral meeting between President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and United States President Joe Biden next week.

The bilateral meeting between the two leaders will be at the sidelines of the trilateral meeting by the Philippines, the United States, and Japan in Washington, DC.

"I think it is just a sequel of the state visit in May last year, 'yung mga programs na napag-usapan with the different agencies and departments ng US and Philippine side," Año said.

(I think it is just a sequel of the state visit in May last year [regarding] programs that were discussed with different agencies and departments of the US and the Philippine side.)

"Kasama sa pag-uusapan 'yung South China Sea issue (The South China Sea issue will be part of the discussions)," he added.

United States envoy to the Philippines Marykay Carlson said last month that energy and food security could be tackled during the Marcos-Biden meeting.

She also mentioned the "123 Agreement," which is a landmark deal that allows the US to export nuclear technology and material to the Philippines.

The White House earlier announced that Biden will host Marcos and Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio on April 11 for the first trilateral US-Japan-Philippines leaders' summit aimed at reaffirming their "ironclad alliance."

United States Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell has said the trilateral summit next week would bring closer coordination on South China Sea issues, according to a Reuters report.

Campbell made the comment at an event hosted by the Center for a New American Security in Washington, as the US has expressed concern over the China Coast Guard's use of water cannons on Philippine vessels near Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.

Japan's Kyodo news agency earlier reported that the US, Australia, Japan and the Philippines are planning anti-submarine drills in the South China Sea on April 7.

Philippine and US forces, meanwhile, will bring this year's Balikatan joint military exercises beyond the former's territorial waters to the edge of its exclusive economic zone. — VDV, GMA Integrated News