BERLIN, GERMANY --- President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday said his trilateral meeting with officials from the United States and Japan next week aims to bolster cooperation and solidify strategic partnerships among the three nations.

In a press conference with the Philippine media delegation here, Marcos Jr. emphasized the importance of the meeting and its role in shaping the future trajectory of trilateral relations.

"Well, of course, we hope the intention is to continue to plan, to strengthen the cooperation between the three countries—the United States, Japan, and the Philippines. And we will perhaps formalize it but we, at this point, we are still…that’s part of the discussion that we will be having to exactly what will be put in any agreement," Marcos Jr. said.

Marcos Jr. also reiterated the significance of the ongoing deliberations and urged patience as the discussions evolve, awaiting developments from Washington, Tokyo, and Manila.

"We have to talk about it some more and let’s wait for the developments that will come from DC, from Tokyo and here in Manila," he said.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Japan's Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa are set to visit Manila next week for discussions aimed at strengthening defense and economic relations ahead of an upcoming summit of their leaders in the United States in April.

Blinken is expected to arrive in Manila on March 18 for bilateral discussions with Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo and other high-ranking Philippine officials. These talks will be followed by a trilateral ministerial meeting on March 20 with Kamikawa, according to sources familiar with the matter.

The high-level meetings come in the wake of recent tensions between Chinese and Philippine vessels in the disputed South China Sea, a situation that has drawn condemnation from the Philippines, the United States, and Japan.

A key item on the agenda is the upcoming trilateral summit involving US President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and President Marcos, scheduled to take place at the White House in Washington DC on April 11.

Additionally, both the United States and Japan have increased their trade and investment activities in the Philippines while also enhancing their defense cooperation.