Trump and Philippine leader plan to talk tariffs and China at the White House
Marcos, who met Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday, is set to become the first Southeast Asian leader to hold talks with Trump in his second term.
Marcos' three-day visit shows the importance of the alliance between the treaty partners at a time when China is increasingly assertive in the South China Sea, where Manila and Beijing have clashed over the hotly contested Scarborough Shoal.
Washington sees Beijing, the world's No. 2 economy, as its biggest competitor, and consecutive presidential administrations have sought to shift U.S. military and economic focus to the Asia-Pacific in a bid to counter China. Trump, like others before him, has been distracted by efforts to broker peace in a range of conflicts, from Ukraine to Gaza.
Tariffs also are expected to be on the agenda. Trump has threatened to impose 20% tariffs on Filipino goods on Aug. 1 unless the two sides can strike a deal.
'I intend to convey to President Trump and his Cabinet officials that the Philippines is ready to negotiate a bilateral trade deal that will ensure strong, mutually beneficial and future-oriented collaborations that only the United States and the Philippines will be able to take advantage of,' Marcos said Sunday when he was departing for Washington, according to his office.
Manila is open to offering zero tariffs on some U.S. goods to strike a deal with Trump, finance chief Ralph Recto told local journalists.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt hinted that a trade agreement with the Philippines was in the works. 'Perhaps this will be a topic of discussion,' she told reporters Monday when asked about tariff negotiations.
The White House said Trump will discuss with Marcos the shared commitment to upholding a free, open, prosperous and secure Indo-Pacific.
Before a meeting with Marcos at the Pentagon, Hegseth reiterated America's commitment to 'achieving peace through strength' in the region.
'Our storied alliance has never been stronger or more essential than it is today, and together we remain committed to the mutual defense treaty,' Hegseth said Monday. 'And this pact extends to armed attacks on our armed forces, aircraft or public vessels, including our Coast Guard anywhere in the Pacific, including the South China Sea.'
Marcos, whose country is one of the oldest U.S. treaty allies in the Pacific region, told Hegseth that the assurance to come to each other's mutual defense 'continues to be the cornerstone of that relationship, especially when it comes to defense and security cooperation.'
He said the cooperation has deepened since Hegseth's March visit to Manila, including joint exercises and U.S. support in modernizing the Philippines' armed forces. Marcos thanked the U.S. for support 'that we need in the face of the threats that we, our country, is facing.'
China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have been involved in long-unresolved territorial conflicts in the South China Sea, a busy shipping passage for global trade.
The Chinese coast guard has repeatedly used water cannon to hit Filipino boats in the South China Sea. China accused those vessels of entering the waters illegally or encroaching on its territory.
Hegseth told a security forum in Singapore in May that China poses a threat and the U.S. is 'reorienting toward deterring aggression by Communist China.'
During Marcos' meeting Monday with Rubio, the two reaffirmed the alliance 'to maintain peace and stability' in the region and discussed closer economic ties, including boosting supply chains, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said.
The U.S. has endeavored to keep communication open with Beijing. Rubio and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met this month on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations regional forum in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. They agreed to explore 'areas of potential cooperation' and stressed the importance of managing differences.
___
Associated Press writer Chris Megerian contributed to this report.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Toronto Star
23 minutes ago
- Toronto Star
Donald Trump wants everyone to stop talking about the Epstein files. Here's why we must keep talking about them
The words 'President Trump: Release All the Epstein Files' projected onto the U.S. Department of Commerce headquarters earlier this month. The files, real or imaginary, have buried deep into Trump's gummy worm of an amygdala, writes Vinay articles are based on the author's interpretations and judgments of facts, data and events. More details
Winnipeg Free Press
23 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Carney, Kinew rev up economic engines, drown out Indigenous, environmental concerns
Opinion It's one of the great trade-offs in politics: invest in something that has ambiguous public support on the promise that it will lead to significant economic growth. You can see it at work all over Canada. Prime Minister Mark Carney is in full trade-off mode, having passed Bill C-5 to fast-track infrastructure projects of 'national interest' in an effort to jump-start the economy, Trump-proof it from the whims of our tariff-obsessed neighbours to the immediate south, advance the interests of Indigenous peoples and promote 'clean growth.' Prime Minister Mark Carney (The Canadian Press files) It's a pledge that Canadians support, in general. However, when you start looking at the individual projects under consideration, you quickly see that it is unlikely he will be able to accomplish all the bill promises. Carney has not yet decided exactly which projects to fast-track, but under serious consideration are the extraction of critical mineral deposits in northern Ontario's famed Ring of Fire and a second pipeline from the Alberta oilsands to the West Coast. A majority of Canadians support the construction of additional natural gas pipelines but are less certain about those that transport oil. And, in an age of violent climate events driven by carbon emissions, there are parallel concerns about making that the focus of Carney's efforts. The public is even more conflicted about promises to fast-track critical mineral extraction in the Ring of Fire. A recent public opinion survey commissioned by the National Ethic Press and Media Council of Canada found the public is evenly split on whether to fast track projects in the James Bay Lowlands region. The poll found that the public is OK with bypassing local government bylaws and even some environmental regulations, but two-thirds said they cannot be expedited against the wishes of Indigenous people. What has the prime minister said about all this potential opposition to his plans? After promising during the last federal election campaign to 'build big, build bold,' Carney has said only that his government will make the projects as 'clean' as possible, and will consult with Indigenous peoples. However, he has steadfastly argued the projects to be fast-tracked under C-5 will be 'the core of our domestic response' to trade threats from the Trump administration. The bill, Carney has maintained, is Canada's response to a growing economic crisis. 'If you don't think we're in a crisis, go to Sault Ste. Marie,' he told the House of Commons when C-5 passed in early July. 'Go to Hamilton. Go to Windsor. Go to any lumber or forestry project. There's more coming.' The trade-off here is pretty clear to see: in exchange for economic growth and security, the prime minister is asking Canadians to stow their concerns about the impacts on the climate, the broader environment and Indigenous rights. And make no mistake about it, despite heightening opposition — particularly from Indigenous leaders in northern Ontario — Carney will be able to proceed on fast-tracking projects with little or no political opposition. A similar trade-off is unfolding in Manitoba, where Premier Wab Kinew is promoting plans for a trade corridor to the Port of Churchill that could include a petroleum pipeline. It's a proposal that has already landed itself on the short list for Carney's fast-tracking plans. Kinew has heard plenty from environmentalists and Indigenous leaders about their concern for this plan, particularly the suggestion it could include a pipeline. Although Kinew has said little about the politics of building oil and gas pipelines against a backdrop of worsening climate events, he has expressed confidence 'there's a way that we can do that while maintaining our leading status as being a climate-friendly jurisdiction.' Kinew has a similarly optimistic but vague position — essentially the same posture that Carney is using — when it comes to confronting the grievances of affected First Nations. Both leaders are operating on the belief that right now, with an existential economic threat lurking in Washington, Canadians will ultimately support government investment in growing the economy, even if it compromises principles on issues such as climate change and Indigenous rights. It should be noted that they are not wrong about the potential for economic growth from these projects. The so-called 'mega-project' infrastructure investments undertaken by government do pay dividends in terms of increased GDP. That is generally true, whether it's building new highways, dams, pipelines or fast-tracking a mining development. Tuesdays A weekly look at politics close to home and around the world. It's even true in the context of Carney's pledge to double Canada's annual defence spending to placate the Trump administration. Canadians may not like why he did it, but as Industry Minister Melanie Joly said this week, it's going to be a huge boost to GDP. 'History has shown us that when you're able to have defence and the private sector really work together, you're able to spear up innovation, make sure that your country is peaceful and, ultimately, create jobs,' she told the Globe and Mail. We should remember that there is, to date, no example of Kinew or Carney approving projects above the objections of Indigenous people, or significant segments of the population at large. But they have promised us that we can have our environmental, Indigenous and economic cake, and eat it, too. And that very much remains to be seen. Dan LettColumnist Dan Lett is a columnist for the Free Press, providing opinion and commentary on politics in Winnipeg and beyond. Born and raised in Toronto, Dan joined the Free Press in 1986. Read more about Dan. Dan's columns are built on facts and reactions, but offer his personal views through arguments and analysis. The Free Press' editing team reviews Dan's columns before they are posted online or published in print — part of the our tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Winnipeg Free Press
23 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Iran state TV says an Iranian navy helicopter confronted a US destroyer in the Gulf of Oman
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — An Iranian navy helicopter confronted a U.S. warship attempting to approach Iranian territorial waters in the Gulf of Oman on Wednesday, Iranian state TV reported. The incident was the first direct encounter reported between Iranian and U.S. forces since the 12-day war between Iran and Israel, during which U.S. B-52 bombers targeted Iranian nuclear facilities. The report said Iranian forces dispatched the helicopter to confront a U.S. Navy destroyer identified as the USS Fitzgerald that approached the waters at around 10 a.m. local time. The report said the helicopter flew directly over the U.S. ship and issued a warning to maintain distance. In what the report described as a tense exchange, the U.S. warship reportedly responded by threatening to target the Iranian aircraft if it did not leave the area. The Navy referred requests for comment to the U.S. Central Command, which said it would provide a response later Wednesday or early Thursday. The Iranian state TV report said that in response to the threats from the U.S. vessel, Iranian air defense forces announced that the helicopter was under the full protection of Iran's integrated air defense system. Eventually the USS Fitzgerald 'retreated southward,' the report said. It was not immediately clear how close the U.S. warship was to Iranian territorial waters.
