Indonesian President Joko Widodo arrived in the Philippines on February 8 for his first state visit to the country.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo is on his first state visit to the Philippines.

Widodo will meet with his counterpart Bengno Aquino III on February 9 to discuss shared issues, including migrant workers, vocational skill improvement, drug trafficking fight, and educational visit exchange, said the Philippine President’s spokesperson Edwin Lacierda.

Besides, the East Sea issue is also likely on the agenda, with Indonesia regarded as having a potentially pivotal role in calming the tension between the Philippines and China over territorial disputes.

In August 2014, Widodo announced that Indonesia would be willing to act as an intermediary on the issue.

Earlier, Indonesia and the Philippines signed a maritime border accord in May 2014, the move that is hailed as a model for peacefully dealing with territorial disputes.

The Philippines is the final stop on Widodo’s three-Southeast Asian country journey which was also through Malaysia and Brunei.

(Source: VNA)