Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. affirmed the enduring strength of the U.S.-Philippines mutual defense pact during a meeting with Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon on Monday. Marcos characterized the alliance as the “cornerstone of that relationship,” highlighting its continued significance.
The cooperation between the two nations has seen notable expansion as HegsethS visit to Manila in March. this deepened engagement includes joint military exercises and U.S. assistance in modernizing the Philippine armed forces. Marcos expressed gratitude for this support, stating it is indeed “needed in the face of the threats that we, our country, is facing.”
hegseth himself has previously articulated a stance on China’s geopolitical posture, telling a security forum in Singapore in May that the nation presents a threat and that the U.S.is “reorienting toward deterring aggression by Communist China.”
Concurrently,the United States has maintained efforts to keep lines of interaction open with Beijing.Senator Marco Rubio met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi this month on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations regional forum in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. During their discussion, both officials agreed to explore “areas of potential cooperation” and emphasized the importance of “managing differences.”
In a separate interaction, former President Donald Trump, while hosting Marcos, indicated that a visit to China might be “not too distant,” suggesting a potential trip in the near future. Trump spoke positively about U.S.-China relations, while also asserting that Manila maintains its independence in its dealings with Beijing. “Do whatever you need to do,” Trump reportedly told Marcos, adding, “But your dealing with China wouldn’t bother me at all.”
