(Illustration photo: VOV)

Blinken will arrive in Manila next Monday for bilateral talks with Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo and other senior Philippine officials before the trilateral meeting with Kamikawa next Wednesday, the sources said.

At the top of their agenda is a planned trilateral summit of US President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. at the White House in Washington, DC on April 11.

The US and Japan have boosted their trade and investments in the Philippines while enhancing defense cooperation. The Philippines is negotiating a Reciprocal Access Agreement with Japan that will allow larger numbers of Japanese Self Defense forces to enter the Philippines to conduct joint training with the Armed Forces of the Philippines and help respond to natural calamities.

The Philippines has similar status of forces agreements with the US and Australia. American and Philippine forces are slated to hold major Balikatan exercises involving thousands of military personnel in the Philippines next month.