Xinhua Asia-Pacific news summary at 1600 GMT, April 18

Indonesia will deploy about 61,000 security personnel during the gubernatorial polls in the country's capital of Jakarta on Wednesday, National Police chief General Tito Karnavian said Tuesday.

The forces will be dispatched to over 13,000 polling stations across the city, the police chief general said. (Indonesia-Security)

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MANILA -- At least 26 people were killed and more than 20 others injured after a passenger bus plunged into a deep ravine in northern Philippines on Tuesday, police and local media reports said.

Police said the bus, carrying more than 40 passengers, crashed around 11 a.m. local time in Capintalan village in Carranglan town in Nueva Ecjia province. (Philippines-Bus Accident)

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TOKYO -- Japan and the United States on Tuesday agreed to work together with countries in the region to address tensions on the Korean Peninsular and took steps towards bridging gaps in economic cooperation with the launch of the U.S.-Japan Economic Dialogue.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and visiting U.S. Vice President Mike Pence reaffirmed the Japan-U.S. alliance and the importance of cooperating with other countries in the region to peacefully realize a denuclearized Korean Peninsular. (Japan-U.S.-Ties)

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MANILA -- The Philippine government unveiled on Tuesday its development strategies dubbed "Dutertenomics," which are expected to bring about an infrastructure boom in the country.

At a forum held here on Tuesday, Philippine Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez said that for an archipelagic country, poor infrastructure "is debilitating." (Philippines-Infrastructure) Endit