Existing defence agreements between security allies- the Philippines and the United States will remain intact under U.S. President Donald Trump, Manila’s Ambassador to the United States said on Monday.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Ready To Meet Trump
For his part, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is ready to travel when Trump has time for a meeting and that could be in the northern spring, Manila’s Ambassador to the United States told media persons on the sidelines of a forum with foreign media in Manila.
Asked about U.S. security support for the Philippines, including military financing, patrols in the South China Sea and Philippine defence facilities currently used by U.S. forces under their alliance, Romualdez said, “All of that will remain”.
The United States and former colony the Philippines are staunch defence allies, with U.S. troops rotating in and out of the Southeast Asian country regularly and dozens of joint exercises held each year.
Deployment Of A Missile System
The United States has also deployed to the Philippines a
Typhon multipurpose missile system for training purposes,
angering China, which has repeatedly said the move poses a
threat to regional stability.
Desire To Import LNG From U.S.
The Philippines was seeking to import liquefied natural gas from the United States as part of a “give and take” on trade, Romualdez said.
His remarks come as some countries in Southeast Asia, including Vietnam and Thailand, scramble to reduce trade surpluses with the United States following Trump’s order to his government to complete a review of all his country’s trade relationships by April 1.
“Trump’s idea of what the United States wants to do is helping other countries become a real partner,” said Romualdez.
Manila’s Ambassador to the United States happens to be a cousin of the Philippine president and was posted in Washington under the previous Manila administration.
(With inputs from Reuters)
