PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will hold his first bilateral meeting with US President Donald Trump in Washington D.C., US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced.
The meeting, scheduled for either July 21st or 22nd, will take place during Marcos’ official working visit to the United States from July 20th to 22nd.
This visit marks the first time a head of state from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has been invited to the White House by President Trump.
The meeting underscores the strengthening defense and military ties between the two treaty allies, aimed at deterring China’s aggression in the South China Sea. The visit comes as both countries work to enhance cooperation on security and economic issues.
Simultaneously, a Philippine trade delegation will travel to the US next week to continue negotiations regarding tariffs imposed by the Trump administration.
The Trump administration previously threatened to increase tariffs on Philippine goods to 20% unless a trade deal was reached.
The ongoing trade discussions highlight the importance of economic cooperation alongside the strengthening security partnership between the Philippines and the United States. The outcome of both the bilateral meeting between the presidents and the trade negotiations will have significant implications for the future of the US-Philippines relationship.
