The territorial dispute on the West Philippine Sea (also called South China Sea) will be among the topics to be discussed when President Benigno Aquino III separately meets with United Kingdom Prime Minister David Cameron and United States President Barack Obama next week. “I think it will be a general (discussion). Pag-uusapan ‘yung kondisyon sa West Philippine Sea,” Aquino told reporters Friday after attending the 1st International River Summit in Iloilo City. The President said the Spratlys issue is “a matter of concern for everybody.” “It is a body of water where quite a substantial amount of world trade has to pass through. If things will change that will restrict the free flow of goods and services amongst these particular body of water,” he said. China claims the whole of Spratly Islands as part of its territory through the nine-dash theory. The Philippines claims parts of the islands, together with Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei. The President expects newly-appointed Philippine Ambassador to China Sonia Brady to hit the ground running. “Yung marching orders to Ambassador Brady, she’s been there; she knows who to talk to; she knows the system; she knows our concerns. So it will enhance the dialogue that previously had to be run through,” he said. Aquino is set to visit UK from June 4 to 6 before flying to US for a visit from June 6 to 8. The US visit was upon the invitation of Obama. 4th meeting between PNoy, Obama It will be the fourth meeting between Aquino and Obama since the former assumed the country’s top post in June 2010. At a press briefing in Malacañang, Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary for American Affairs Patricia Ann Paez said the first meeting was in September 2010 during the ASEAN-US Leaders’ Meeting in New York. The second meeting was in September 2011 during the launching of the Open Government partnership also in New York. The third meeting was on Nov. 18, 2011 during the ASEAN-US Leaders’ Meeting in Bali, Indonesia. Paez said Aquino’s visit to Washington, D.C. reflects the heightened engagement between the two countries evidenced by the upward trajectory of high-level engagements. She said the first bilateral strategic dialogue was in Manila in January 2011, the second bilateral strategic dialogue was in Washington, D.C. in January 2012. There were also visits of four top-level congressional delegations in 2011 and 2012. The two leaders are expected to discuss a wide range of issues of mutual interest including close strategic, economic, and people-to-people ties and cooperation in the Asia Pacific region as the US refocuses in the Asia Pacific characterized by economic dynamism as well as fresh challenges. PNoy's vision for the Philippines Paez said Obama has also expressed interest in being updated about Aquino’s vision for the Philippines and his development agenda specifically to promote inclusive growth, create equal opportunities for all, and foster good governance. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will also host a luncheon in honor of the President and his delegation. Some 200 guests are invited to the event. Aquino will also be meeting with the top leaders of the US Senate at a reception hosted by Senate President Pro Tempore Daniel Inouye at the US Capitol. Inouye has been the champion of Philippine interest in the US Congress and has manifested steadfast support for the Philippines as chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. The Philippine President will also meet with US business leaders and investors and will grace the launching of the US-Philippine Society which aims to provide information on the Philippines to US policy makers. The US-Philippine Society also aims to convey to the Philippine government objective feedback on perceptions in the US regarding the country and to undertake partnership programs with NGOs and other institutions to increase public exposure to Philippine issues. It will also enlist the support and participation of the around 3.1 million Filipinos in the United States. Aquino will also be interviewed by the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post. Paez said en route to Manila, the President will meet with the Filipino-American community in Los Angeles. There are about 322,110 Filipinos who reside in the county of Los Angeles comprising 3.1 percent of the city’s population. — RSJ, GMA News