US President, Donald Trump has hinted reaching trade deal with the Philippines.
This comes as hosted Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at the White House, as the United States and the Philippines aim to deepen strategic and economic cooperation amid growing regional tensions.
Marcos, who met US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio and US Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth yesterday, is the first Southeast Asian leader to hold talks with Trump in his second term.
Marcos’ three-day visit shows the importance of the alliance between the treaty partners when China is increasingly assertive in the South China Sea, where Manila and Beijing have clashed over the hotly contested Scarborough Shoal.
As Trump and Marcos sat in the Oval Office in front of reporters, Trump said,“We’re very close to finishing a trade deal — big trade deal, actually,” signaling potential progress on a long-anticipated bilateral agreement.
He disclosed that he and Marcos would be talking about “war and peace” and trade.
Marcos spoke warmly of the relationship between their two nations and said, “This has evolved into as important a relationship as is possible to have.” He expressed strong support for the alliance.
When asked about balancing ties between Washington and Beijing, Marcos emphasised Philippine sovereignty.
“There is no need to balance because our foreign policy is an independent one. Our strongest partner has always been the United States.”
Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Washington sees Beijing, the world’s No. 2 economy, as its biggest competitor, and consecutive presidential administrations have sought to shift US military and economic focus to the Asia-Pacific in a bid to counter China.
Trump, like others before him, has been distracted by efforts to broker peace in a range of conflicts, from Ukraine to Gaza.
Tariffs also are expected to be on the agenda. Trump has threatened to impose 20% tariffs on Filipino goods on August 1 unless the two sides can strike a deal.
Trump, Marcos To Discuss Indo-Pacific Region
The White House said ahead of the meeting that Trump would discuss with Marcos the shared commitment to upholding a free, open, prosperous and secure Indo-Pacific.
Before a meeting with Marcos at the Pentagon, Hegseth reiterated America’s commitment to “achieving peace through strength” in the region.
Marcos, whose country is one of the oldest US treaty allies in the Pacific region, told Hegseth that the assurance to come to each other’s mutual defense “continues to be the cornerstone of that relationship, especially when it comes to defense and security cooperation.”
He said that the cooperation has deepened since Hegseth’s March visit to Manila, including joint exercises and US support in modernizing the Philippines’ armed forces.
Marcos thanked the US for support “that we need in the face of the threats that we, our country, is facing.”
China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have been involved in long-unresolved territorial conflicts in the South China Sea, a busy shipping passage for global trade.
The Chinese coast guard has repeatedly used water cannons to hit Filipino boats in the South China Sea. China accused those vessels of entering the waters illegally or encroaching on its territory.
Speaking about the US defense commitment to the Philippines, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, Guo Jiakun that whatever cooperation the US and the Philippines have should not target or harm any third party, “still less incite confrontation and heighten tensions in the region.”
Despite growing friction, the US remains open to dialogue with China. Rubio met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi earlier this month in Kuala Lumpur, where both sides agreed to manage tensions and seek areas for cooperation.
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