Trump Hosts US's Oldest Pacific Ally Amid Tensions With China
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The leader of the Philippines, the oldest U.S. ally in the Pacific region, aims to win over President Donald Trump in talks this week with an offer of greater economic engagement, including a "mutually beneficial" trade deal, to head off a looming 20-percent tariff on Philippine goods.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who arrived in the United States on Sunday and is due to meet Trump on Tuesday, is staunchly pro-American and has made U.S. ties a priority since he was elected in 2022, replacing a predecessor who spurned the U.S. in favor of closer relations with China.
Why It Matters
The United States and the Philippines have cooperated closely on defense for decades, based on a 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty. The former U.S. colony would be crucial for the U.S. military in the event of a confrontation with China over Taiwan.
Under Marcos, Philippine forces have been trying the push back against China's expansive claims in the disputed South China Sea. Philippine efforts have been met with Chinese blockades, ramming and water cannon attacks that last year injured several Philippine service members.
The United States last year set out funding of $500 million for the Philippines' military and coast guard in a show of support in the face of Chinese actions in disputed waters.
China accused the U.S. of creating tension and inciting confrontation with its support for the Philippines, which now hosts at least two types of U.S. missile systems on its territory.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (L) and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth pose during Hegseth's visit to Malacanang Palace on March 28, 2025, in the Philippine capital, Manila. Marcos will meet President Donald Trump on...
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (L) and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth pose during Hegseth's visit to Malacanang Palace on March 28, 2025, in the Philippine capital, Manila. Marcos will meet President Donald Trump on Tuesday to discuss tariffs and security. MoreWhat To Know
Marcos, the son of U.S.-backed dictator Ferdinand Marcos, said he would be offering Trump exclusive economic benefits.
"My top priority for this visit is to push for greater economic engagement, particularly through trade and investment between the Philippines and the United States," Marcos said before his departure.
"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," he said.
In a July 9 letter to Marcos, Trump said the 20-percent tariff on goods from the Philippines was necessary to address what he said was a "far from reciprocal" trade relationship.
Marcos said he expected his talks with Trump to also focus on security and defense.
Under a 2014 deal, called the Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement, or EDCA, the U.S. military has access to Philippine bases and sites for joint training and for facilities such as runways, fuel storage and troop housing. The agreement was expanded in 2023 to allow the United States access to nine locations, up from five before.
Manila has not explicitly said whether these would be available for use in a U.S. defense of Taiwan, but leaders including Marcos previously said the sites cannot be used to launch attacks.
What People Are Saying
Ferdinand Marcos Jr., president of the Philippines, in a public statement, said: "We will see how much progress we can make when it comes to the negotiations with the United States concerning the changes that we would like to institute so as to be able to alleviate the effects of a very severe tariff schedule on the Philippines."
Donald Trump, U.S. president, in a July 9 letter to Marcos, wrote: "Please understand that the 20 percent number is far less than what is needed to eliminate the trade deficit disparity that we have with your country."
What Happens Next
The two leaders will meet at the White House on Tuesday, and any agreement struck over two-way trade is expected to reflect the Philippines' growing geopolitical importance to the United States, too.
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