WASHINGTON DC, USA — US President Joe Biden welcomed Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. at the White House on Monday (early morning Tuesday Manila time).
This is the first bilateral meeting between the two leaders preceding more expanded discussions with US officials.
Biden took Marcos for a walk across the White House grounds before he and first lady Jill Biden received Marcos and first lady Liza into the White House.
Marcos acknowledged in his statement how the US and the Philippines need to find ways to “strengthen” their alliances and partnerships “in the face of the new economy that we are facing post-pandemic.”
He also expressed geopolitical issues in the region are affecting the Philippines, making the country “possibly and arguably in the most complicated geopolitical situation in the world right now.”
“So it is only natural for the Philippines to look to its sole treaty partner in the world, to strengthen and to redefine the relationship that we have and the roles that we play in the face of these rising tensions that we see now around the South China Sea and the Asia-Pacific and Indo-Pacific region,” Marcos said.
“We have many things that are new that need to be assessed and again our role as partners in the world – in our worldview of what we are hoping for the future of peace, not only in the Asia-Pacific and Indo-Pacific region but in the whole world,” he added.
Marcos then voiced his gratitude to Biden for the chance to meet with the US leader at the White House to discuss what he called “terribly important issues.”
The US Head of State emphasized that the main point of the visit, as far as American officials were concerned, was to shore up Filipino security and military capabilities.
“We are facing new challenges, and I couldn’t think of a better partner to have than you,” Mr. Biden conveyed to Mr. Marcos in the Oval Office on Monday.
The president enumerated initiatives that the two countries would collaborate on, including climate change and clean energy. Mr. Biden also stated trade and investment missions to the Philippines to advance private-sector investments in the country. – WhatALife! Anthony
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