July 22 (UPI) — Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. will meet with President Donald Trump at the White House Tuesday to discuss U.S. tariffs and threats from China.
The first such meeting by an Association of Southeast Asian Nations head of state with Trump since his return to the U.S. presidency, Marcos is expected to utilize his nation’s strong relationship with the United States to improve the trade deal between the two countries.
“The purpose of this visit is to further strengthen the Philippines-United States alliance, to proactively engage the U.S. in all aspects of the relations, and seize opportunities for greater security and economic cooperation,” said Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Raquel Solano in a press release.
The Philippines, one of the many countries who face a tariff hike on Aug. 1, will be subject to a 20% levy as per the letter Trump sent out earlier this month.
“We hope, of course, to arrive at a bilateral trade agreement or a deal on reciprocal trade that is mutually acceptable, mutually beneficial for both our countries,” Solano added.
Marcos’ visit has also focused on defense and security, which was discussed Monday as he visited the Pentagon. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met with Marcos, and in a Defense Department press release, it was stated the two “reaffirmed their commitment to the U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty and discussed shared security concerns in the Asia-Pacific region, as well as recent advances in the long-standing U.S.-Philippines alliance.”
“Our storied alliance has never been stronger or more essential than it is today,” said Hegseth in the release. “Together, we remain committed to the mutual defense treaty.”
“And this pact extends to armed attacks on our armed forces, aircraft or public vessels, including our Coast Guard, anywhere in the Pacific, including the South China Sea,” continued Hegseth.
Marcos also met with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who said in an X post Monday that they discussed “how the [United States] and the Philippines are strengthening our ironclad Alliance to advance our shared safety, security, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.”
As for any meeting with representatives of the American Filipino community, the press release notes Marcos won’t be able to, due to his tight schedule.