Trump says US, Philippines ‘very close' to finalising trade deal
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr (left) meeting US President Donald Trump at the White House on July 22.
WASHINGTON - US President Donald Trump on July 22 welcomed Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr to the White House, saying the two countries were close to finalising a trade agreement.
'We're going to talk about trade today and we are very close to finishing a trade deal, a big trade deal actually,' Mr Trump told reporters at the start of his meeting with the Philippine leader.
Mr Marcos is the first South-east Asian leader to meet Mr Trump in his second term.
Mr Trump has already struck trade deals with two of Manila's regional partners, Vietnam and Indonesia, but had been driving tough bargains in talks even with close allies Washington needs to keep onside in its strategic rivalry with China.
The United States had a deficit of nearly US$5 billion (S$6.3 billion) with the Philippines in 2024 on bilateral goods trade of US$23.5 billion. Mr Trump this month raised the threatened 'reciprocal' tariffs on Philippine imports to 20 per cent from 17 per cent threatened in April.
Mr Trump said the two countries did 'a lot of business' with each other, saying he was surprised to see what he called 'very big numbers' that would only grow under a trade agreement.
Mr Gregory Poling, a South-east Asia expert at Washington's Centre for Strategic and International Studies, said Mr Marcos might be able to
do better than Vietnam , with its agreement of a 20 per cent baseline tariff on its goods, and
Indonesia at 19 per cent.
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Mr Trump underscored the importance of the US-Philippine military relationship.
'They're a very important nation militarily, and we've had some great drills lately,' he said.
US President Donald Trump (left) welcoming Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr to the White House on July 22.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Mr Marcos, who arrived in Washington on July 20, went to the Pentagon on July 21 for talks with Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and later met Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
During his trip, he will also meet US business leaders investing in the Philippines.
Philippine officials say Marcos will stress that Manila must become economically stronger if it is to serve as a truly robust US partner in the Indo-Pacific.
Philippine Assistant Foreign Secretary Raquel Solano said last week trade officials have been working with US counterparts seeking to seal a 'mutually acceptable and mutually beneficial' deal. REUTERS
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