MANILA, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.on Saturday expressed optimism following a recent agreement between the United States and China to de-escalate trade tensions, characterizing the move as a positive progress for the global economy.
Speaking to Philippine media during the 2025 Asia-pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in South Korea, Marcos indicated the truce signaled a potential easing of the prolonged trade war between the world’s two largest economies. “The best data I got says that they have declared peace for at least a year. So,the trade war will be less intense – or at least that’s the agreement,” he stated. The agreement offers a respite from the economic uncertainty created by escalating tariffs and trade restrictions,impacting global supply chains and economic growth.
The President noted his management’s economic team is closely monitoring the situation for potential adjustments to tariffs and market fluctuations that could affect Philippine exports and trade relationships with both the US and China. “The whole world breathed a little easier because somehow the two biggest economies have found a way to ease tensions, even if not completely,” Marcos added.
He further emphasized the broad implications of the US-china trade relationship, stating, “We are waiting to see more, try and get more information. We’ll see how it impacts the Philippines, our trade deals with the US, our trade deals with China, and I guess within Asia and within APEC, it really affects the entire world.” The Philippines, as a member of APEC and a key trading partner with both nations, stands to benefit from a more stable global trade habitat.
