By Roy Ramos
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines
The South China Sea dispute and investment between the Philippines and Japan top President Benigno Aquino III's priorities on his visit to the country next week.
Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte told dzRMM Radyo ng Bayan Saturday that China's suspected reclamation activity of islets in the sea are the current issue, and a shared issue of concern between the Philippines and Japan.
"It is expected that they [President Aquino and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe] will talk about the issue, however we still do not where the talks will end up," Valte said.
Aquino's meeting with Abe has been arranged amid the alleged rapid expansion and militarization of China in the disputed waters which the Philippines calls the West Philippine Sea.
China claims most of the islands in the Sea, putting it up against the Philippines and Vietnam - whose own claims have been backed by the United States. Meanwhile, Japan has also become locked in conflicting claims with Beijing in the East China Sea.
The dispute came to a head this week with both the U.S. and China pledging to strengthen naval defences.
Last week, a Philippines government spokesperson called the tensions over the disputed islands its most pressing security concern.
"The Philippines is playing the longest catch up game," the undersecretary for foreign affairs policy Evan Garcia told reporters.
"We are focusing immediately on acquiring and building up our capabilities that we should have done before... so we can protect what's ours."
During Aquino's visit to Japan, he is also scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with the prime minister and other high-ranking Japanese officials and Japanese businessmen.
"The president has a long line of meetings with captains of industry of either Japanese businessmen, who already have investments here in the Philippines, and those who are—because of our economy now— looking to expand or are looking to put in more investments in the country," Valte told dzRMM.
Despite the Philippines' strong economic growth year on year, it lags behind its ASEAN neighbors in terms of foreign direct investments.
Valte said foreign investments are up and the number of businesses that arrive in the country are also increasing. She added that those already operating in the country have seen a quick expansion of their businesses.
"Every time the president goes out, he always makes it a point as much as possible to touch base with the captains of industry to really tell them what has been happening to country, and so far, you see that this is bearing fruit."
With just over a year left in office, the president will continue to push the business agenda whenever he travels overseas, she added.
