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The strengthening of the United States-Philippines alliance through economic cooperation and bilateral coordination in the South China Sea are among the primary agendas that were discussed during a meeting between Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo and his US counterpart Marco Rubio in Munich.
“Secretary Rubio not only reaffirmed U.S. commitment to the United States-Philippines Alliance, but noted his enthusiasm for building an even more invested and enduring relationship,” State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a statement.
“Discussions included the ongoing bilateral coordination on addressing China’s destabilizing actions in the South China Sea; and increasing economic cooperation on infrastructure, critical minerals, information technology, and energy, including through civil nuclear cooperation,” she added.
The discussions were akin to the previous phone call the two secretaries had a few weeks ago during Rubio’s appointment as US State Secretary.
“We discussed the importance of the PH-US alliance for the prosperity and security of the Indo-Pacific, and the strength of our bilateral political, economic, and people-to-people ties,” Manalo said on X (formerly Twitter).
Bruce confirmed this stating that Rubio emphasized the United States’ ironclad commitments to the Philippines under the Mutual Defense Treaty and vowed to strengthen regional cooperation, especially in the South China Sea.
Manalo will be attending the 61st Munich Security Conference from February 14 to 16. He will also be meeting with European Commission Vice President and High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas. — Rachelle Tonelada
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Credit belongs to: www.manilastandard.net
