US – PHILIPPINES STRONGER TIES IN THE NEXT FOUR YEARS

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. meets with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III during a joint courtesy call at the Malacañang on Tuesday. The two US officials attend the 4th Philippines-US Foreign and Defense Ministerial Dialogue (2+2 Dialogue) which was hosted in the Philippines for the first time.

The alliance between the Philippines and the United States was flourishing according to the President in ensuring stability in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) and the Indo-Pacific region. The US Defense Secretary said that their country is looking forward to strengthen its relationship with the Philippines in the next four years.

United States Secretary’s of States and Defense with President Bongbong Marcos in Malacañang (Photo courtesy of Marianne Bermudez/Philippine Star)

“I’m always very happy that these communication lines are very open so that all the things that we are doing together, in terms of our alliance, in terms of the specific context of our situation here, in the West Philippine Sea and in the Indo-Pacific, are continuously examined and re-examined so we are agile in terms of our responses,” Marcos said.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III said that, “We have common interests, common values, and so I think we've done a lot over the last three and a half years to continue to strengthen our alliance, and I look forward to another three and a half, or another four, in building, strengthening this relationship. But thanks for your leadership, Mr. President, it's been a great three and a half years.”

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the US is seeing continuity in high-level engagements with the Philippines.

“Today is genuinely historic. This is the first time that the Philippines has hosted our two plus two, and it is an evidence of a really steady drumbeat of very high-level engagements between our countries that are covering the full range of issues and opportunities that bring us together, not only security, but also economic. We're truly grateful for this partnership,” Blinken said.

According to the Department of Foreign Affairs, the 2+2 dialogue between the two countries is to reaffirm their ironclad commitment to both countries' alliance while enabling a common program in support of the rules-based international order, enhanced economic ties, broad-based prosperity.

Source: Philippine News Agency

Be part of ImHenyo community!

Get featured by sharing your stories, news, and comments

Email us at [email protected]