Trump to host Philippine president to discuss trade and security in Asia
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U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met his Japanese and Philippine counterparts in a meeting Thursday on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations' annual ministerial meetings in Malaysia. The U.S., Japan and the Philippines have been building a trilateral bloc to broaden security and economic cooperation.
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'We have a great relationship with Japan and the Philippines and work closely with them on the economic corridor, on maritime security and territorial integrity and continue to build upon that partnership,' Rubio said after his meeting in Malaysia with Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya and Philippine Foreign Secretary Theresa Lazaro. Washington looks 'forward to hosting the president of the Philippines in Washington in a few days.'
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The U.S. has repeatedly warned that it is obligated to defend the Philippines, its oldest treaty ally in Asia, if Filipino forces, ships or aircraft come under armed attack, including in the South China Sea. China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have been involved in long-unresolved territorial conflicts in the busy sea passage, a key global trade route.
Japan also has a separate territorial conflict with China over small, Japanese-controlled islands in the East China Sea.
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