Here's What Presidents Marcos and Biden Discussed During Their White House Meet
Amidst growing tensions in the West Philippine Sea, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and President Joe Biden met at the White House on Monday, May 1. This marks the first time a Philippine president has visited a United States president at the Oval Office in a decade.
This trip was the highlight of a four-day U.S. visit for Marcos. The two presidents hoped to strengthen the security alliance between the U.S. and the Philippines during their discussion. Officials also reaffirmed their defense commitments, saying that guidelines for military and economic cooperation must be re-evaluated.
"The United States remains ironclad in our commitment to the defense of the Philippines, including the South China Sea," Biden told Marcos during the visit.
Marcos notes that the U.S. is still the Philippines' sole treaty ally as the country faces a "complicated geopolitical situation." Right now, China has a more aggressive stance in its actions involving Taiwan and the South China Sea. The United States sees the Philippines as a key player in the region to resist any potential invasion by China.
This also comes after the Philippines held the largest Balikatan Exercises in history. The U.S. and the Philippines agreed to the addition of four more military bases in the country as part of our Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement.
LOOK: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. meets with President Joe Biden at the White House Oval Office. pic.twitter.com/9A2XFJitZc
— Presidential Communications Office (@pcogovph) May 1, 2023
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In a joint statement, the two presidents announced that they want to "affirm the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait as an indispensable element of global security and prosperity."
Any armed attack on the Philippine armed forces, aircraft, or vessels in the Pacific and the West Philippine Sea will invoke U.S. defense involvement under a 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty, the statement further claimed.
"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 those rising tensions that we see now around the South China, Asia Pacific, and Indo-Pacific region," Marcos added.
Meanwhile, Biden confirmed that he would be sending a Presidential Trade and Investment Mission to the Philippines with a focus on improving investments in clean energy, the minerals sector, and food security.
Marcos has taken a different stance from his predecessor, former President Rodrigo Duterte, as he seeks closer ties with Washington instead of Beijing. Ironically, Biden was one of the U.S. lawmakers who opposed President Ronald Reagan’s support for Marcos Sr. during his time as a senator and a member of the Foreign Relations Committee. Now, he's looking to bolster U.S.-Philippine relations with Marcos Jr.
