logo
Trump says Philippines trade deal ‘concluded' with 19% tariff on imports

Trump says Philippines trade deal ‘concluded' with 19% tariff on imports

The Hindu2 days ago
U.S. President Donald Trump said he has reached a trade agreement with Philippine leader Ferdinand Marcos Jr. following a meeting Tuesday (July 22, 2025) at the White House that will see the U.S. slightly drop its tariff rate for the Philippines without paying import taxes for what it sells there.
Mr. Trump revealed the broad terms of the agreement on his social media network and said the U.S. and the Philippines would work together militarily. The announcement of a loose framework of a deal comes as the two countries are seeking closer security and economic ties in the face of shifting geopolitics in the Indo-Pacific region.
Mr. Marcos' government indicated ahead of the meeting that he was prepared to offer zero tariffs on some U.S. goods to strike a deal with Trump. The Philippine Embassy did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment.
Mr. Marcos' three-day visit to Washington shows the importance of the alliance between the treaty partners as 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.
Trump announces a trade deal with the Philippines
Mr. Trump said on Truth Social that the U.S. would impose a 19% tariff rate on the Philippines, down from a 20% tariff he threatened starting August 1. In return, he said, the Philippines would have an open market and the U.S. would not pay tariffs.
Without further details on the agreement, it's unclear how it will impact their countries' economies.
Mr. Trump wrote that Mr. Marcos' visit was 'beautiful', and it was a 'Great Honor' to host such a 'very good and tough negotiator.'
Appearing before reporters in the Oval Office ahead of their private meeting, Mr. Marcos spoke warmly of the ties between the two nations.
'This has evolved into as important a relationship as is possible to have,' said Mr. Marcos, the first Southeast Asian leader to hold talks with Trump in his second term.
Mr. Trump, as he does in many of his appearances, veered off topic as he fielded questions from reporters.
Philippines-China relation
When asked how he plans to balance his country's relationships between the U.S. and China, Mr. Marcos said there was no need to balance 'because our foreign policy is an independent one.'
'Our strongest partner has always been the United States,' said Mr. Marcos, whose country is one of the oldest U.S. treaty allies in the Pacific region.
On Tuesday (July 22, 2025), when asked about the U.S. defence commitment to the Philippines, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said, 'Whatever cooperation the U.S. and the Philippines have, it should not target or harm any third party, still less incite confrontation and heighten tensions in the region.'
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 cannons to hit Filipino boats in the South China Sea. China accused those vessels of entering the waters illegally or encroaching on its territory.
Mr. Marcos also met Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth this week. At the Pentagon on Monday, Mr. Marcos told Mr. Hegseth that the assurance to come to each other's mutual defence 'continues to be the cornerstone of that relationship'.
Also read | ​Big deal: On the U.S.-China trade deal
He said the cooperation has deepened since Mr. Hegseth's March visit to Manila, including joint exercises and U.S. support in modernising the Philippines' armed forces. Mr. Marcos thanked the U.S. for support 'that we need in the face of the threats that we, our country, are facing.' Mr. 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.'
The U.S., however, has endeavoured to keep communication open with Beijing. Mr. 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.
When hosting Mr. Marcos, Mr. Trump said a visit to China is 'not too distant', suggesting it is possible he could travel there soon. Trump touted U.S.-China relations but said Manila is independent in its dealings with Beijing.
'Do whatever you need to do,' Mr. Trump told Mr. Marcos. 'But your dealing with China wouldn't bother me at all.'
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

What is Donald Trump's connection to Scotland? His mum, golf and more
What is Donald Trump's connection to Scotland? His mum, golf and more

First Post

time21 minutes ago

  • First Post

What is Donald Trump's connection to Scotland? His mum, golf and more

Donald Trump's visit to Scotland goes beyond golf — it's a return to his maternal roots on the Isle of Lewis. With new tributes to his late mother, Mary Anne MacLeod, and potential political meetings amid planned protests, how much of his identity is still tied to Scotland? read more Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a press conference at Turnberry Golf course in Turnberry, Scotland, June 24, 2016. File Image/Reuters United States President Donald Trump will land in Scotland on Friday (July 25, 2025), marking his first visit to the United Kingdom since securing a second term in office. Officially designated a private trip by the White House, the president's itinerary includes stops at his two flagship golf resorts — Trump International Golf Links near Aberdeen and the Turnberry estate in South Ayrshire. Despite its private nature, the visit reportedly includes scheduled meetings with UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Scotland's First Minister John Swinney. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Trump is expected to return for an official state visit to the UK in September. Preparations for his arrival have triggered logistical challenges and security concerns. Police Scotland, anticipating demonstrations similar to those during his previous visits, has requested backup from other UK law enforcement agencies. Large-scale protests were seen during Trump's 2018 tour, when thousands marched in Scottish cities, including Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Glasgow. On that occasion, protestors booed as he played golf at Turnberry, and a paraglider flew over the resort with an anti-Trump banner. Organisers of the group Stop Trump Scotland have called for renewed demonstrations during this year's visit. The structure of this visit allows Trump to freely choose his engagements, with his primary focus being his business interests in Scottish golf — a sector he has repeatedly highlighted as both legacy and enterprise. The US president's mother: Mary Anne MacLeod Trump Donald Trump's ancestral roots lie in the Outer Hebrides, a rugged chain of islands off the northwest coast of Scotland. His mother, Mary Anne MacLeod, was born in 1912 in the village of Tong, located just three miles from Stornoway, the Isle of Lewis's main town. She was the youngest of ten children in a Gaelic-speaking family. Her father, Malcolm MacLeod, managed a post office and a general store in Tong, offering the family modest stability during difficult times. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Although they were slightly more affluent than some local households, life on the island during and after World War I was marked by scarcity and tragedy. Lewis had suffered grievous losses in the conflict, including the Iolaire disaster of 1919, in which approximately 200 servicemen returning from war perished in the harbour at Stornoway. Amid post-war hardship and limited economic opportunity, many islanders sought new lives abroad. Mary Anne joined that wave of migration in 1930 at age 18, leaving with her sister Catherine, who had already emigrated and returned to visit. Upon reaching New York, Mary Anne initially found work as a nanny in an affluent household but lost the job as the US economy collapsed following the Wall Street Crash. Mary Anne MacLeod Trump died in 2000 at the age of 88. Members of her extended family still live on Lewis. File Image She briefly returned to Scotland in 1934 but soon went back to the US, having met and begun a relationship with Fred Trump, a successful real estate developer and the son of German immigrants. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD They married in 1936, settled in Queens, New York, and Mary Anne became a US citizen in 1942. She passed away in August 2000 at the age of 88. Donald Trump is the fourth of their five children. Though he was raised in New York, his mother's homeland remained close to him. 'My mother was born in Scotland — Stornoway, which is serious Scotland,' he said in 2017. Mary Anne maintained strong ties to her birthplace, regularly visiting Lewis throughout her life. According to BBC, she remained fluent in Gaelic and was well-regarded in her hometown community. During visits, she attended the local church and maintained connections with her extended family. To this day, three of Donald Trump's cousins continue to live on Lewis, including two who now reside in the house where Mary Anne was born. The original structure has since been rebuilt, but the familial bond remains. These relatives have consistently declined all media interviews and have stayed out of the public eye. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The house where Donald Trump's mother grew up is seen in Tong on the Isle of Lewis and Harris, an island off the northwestern tip of Scotland in the Outer Hebrides, Scorland, April 27, 2016. File Image/Reuters Trump himself has made only two known visits to his mother's home village. In 2008, he visited the family home in Tong as an adult and said he had also visited once as a small child, though he remembered little. His 2008 stopover was brief — he reportedly spent just 97 seconds in the ancestral house. Are Trump's Scottish golf ventures about legacy? Trump's commercial footprint in Scotland centres around two major properties: Trump International Golf Links in Aberdeenshire and Trump Turnberry in South Ayrshire. The Aberdeenshire venture began in 2006 when Trump acquired a coastal tract north of Aberdeen with the aim of developing a world-class golf destination. The project faced strong local resistance from conservationists and residents concerned about the ecological impact. The site included sand dunes that were home to rare wildlife such as badgers, otters, kittiwakes and skylarks. The controversy attracted global attention. US property mogul Donald Trump leads a media event on the sand dunes of the Menie estate, the site for Trump's proposed golf resort, near Aberdeen, north east Scotland, May 27, 2010. File Image/Reuters Michael Forbes, a local fisherman, became a symbol of resistance after he refused to sell his land to Trump, despite a lucrative offer of £350,000. Trump was publicly critical of Forbes's property, describing it as 'a slum and a pigsty,' reported AP. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Despite the opposition, the Scottish government backed the plan, and the Trump International Golf Links officially opened in 2012. Nevertheless, some of the project's most ambitious elements — including plans for 500 homes and a 450-room hotel — have not materialised. Financially, the resort has struggled. In 2023, the latest available accounts reported a loss of £1.4 million. 'If it weren't for my mother, would I have walked away from this site? I think probably I would have, yes,' Trump remarked during the development phase. 'Possibly, had my mother not been born in Scotland, I probably wouldn't have started it.' This year, a second 18-hole course at the site is set to open. Named the MacLeod Course in tribute to Mary Anne, the launch is expected to coincide with Trump's visit. The adjacent hotel is also named after her — the Trump MacLeod House and Lodge Hotel. Turnberry, Trump's other high-profile property, is a much older and more established venue. He purchased the resort, including its three coastal golf courses and a five-star hotel, in 2014 for approximately £40 million. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Turnberry is widely known for hosting The Open Championship, though the tournament has not returned to the course since 2009. US President Donald Trump gestures as he walks on the course of his golf resort, in Turnberry, Scotland, July 14, 2018. File Image/Reuters Local sentiment in Ayrshire has been more favourable compared to the Aberdeenshire project. 'He did bring employment to the area,' Louise Robertson, a Turnberry-area resident told AP. 'I know that in terms of the hotel and the lighthouse, he spent a lot of money restoring it, so again, that was welcomed by the local people. But other than that, I can't really say positive things about it.' Trump has pushed for The Open to return to Turnberry. However, the tournament's organisers have cited ongoing issues related to transportation and accommodation infrastructure as obstacles. How Trump's political ties with Scotland have evolved Trump's relationship with Scottish officials has evolved over the years — from honourary recognition to outright rejection. More than a decade ago, he was named a business ambassador in the GlobalScot network. However, that status was revoked in 2015 following his controversial comments about banning Muslims from entering the United States. Around the same time, Robert Gordon University withdrew an honourary doctorate it had awarded him in 2010. In the next few days, Trump is set to meet with John Swinney, Scotland's First Minister, who had supported Kamala Harris during the previous US election cycle. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A placard is attached to a stake in the ground during a protest against the visit of US President Donald Trump, in Edinburgh, Scotland, July 14, 2018. File Image/Reuters A spokesperson for Trump's business interests in Scotland called Swinney's earlier endorsement 'an insult.' Nonetheless, Swinney has confirmed the meeting, saying it serves 'Scotland's interest.' Trump will also confer with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, with whom he reportedly enjoys a constructive rapport. Despite ideological differences, Trump recently said, 'I really like the prime minister a lot, even though he's a liberal.' Trade discussions are expected to include a focus on securing exemptions for UK steel from American tariffs. There is no confirmation as to whether Trump and Starmer will visit either golf course together. Starmer is not known to be a golfer. Ironically, Trump's Scottish story is one of immigration. With inputs from agencies

Hong Kong issues bounties for 19 overseas activists on subversion charges
Hong Kong issues bounties for 19 overseas activists on subversion charges

The Hindu

time21 minutes ago

  • The Hindu

Hong Kong issues bounties for 19 overseas activists on subversion charges

Hong Kong police announced bounties on Friday (July 25, 2025) for information leading to the arrest of 19 overseas activists, accusing them of national security crimes. Political dissent in Hong Kong has been quashed since Beijing imposed a sweeping national security law in 2020 after huge, sometimes violent pro-democracy protests the year before. Many opposition figures have fled abroad, while others have been arrested and sentenced to years in jail. Police said the 19 activists were involved in what they called a 'subversive organisation', Hong Kong Parliament — a pro-democracy NGO established in Canada. On July 1, Hong Kong Parliament said on social media that it was holding an unofficial poll online to form a 'legislature', aimed at 'opposing one-party dictatorship and tyranny and pursuing Hong Kong people ruling Hong Kong'. In a statement on Friday (July 25, 2025), police accused the group of seeking to 'unlawfully overthrow and undermine the fundamental system' of the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities. The investigation into the organisation is ongoing, the police said, warning that they 'will offer bounties to hunt down more suspects in the case if necessary'. They also called on the accused to 'return to Hong Kong and turn themselves in, rather than make further mistakes'. A reward of HK$200,000 ($25,500) each was offered for 15 of the activists, while the four others were already wanted for HK$1 million, the statement said. Symbolic bounties The bounties are seen as largely symbolic given that they affect people living abroad in nations unlikely to extradite political activists to Hong Kong or China. Friday's (July 25, 2025) announcement is the fourth time the financial hub's authorities have offered rewards for help capturing those alleged to have violated the city's national security laws. According to the Hong Kong police's website, as of Friday (July 25, 2025) there are now 34 people wanted for national security offences, including secession, subversion, or foreign collusion. Previous rounds of bounties were met with intense criticism from Western countries, with Hong Kong and China in turn railing against foreign 'interference'. Hong Kong has also previously cancelled the passports of other pro-democracy activists on its wanted list, under its second homegrown national security law enacted in 2024. As of July 1, authorities had arrested 333 people for alleged national security crimes, with 165 convicted in Hong Kong. Earlier this month, Hong Kong police arrested four people, including a 15-year-old, who were allegedly part of a group in Taiwan that called for the overthrow of the Chinese Communist Party. This week police said they had arrested an 18-year-old for writing 'seditious words' on a toilet wall in a commercial building.

Philippine Supreme Court rules impeachment bid against V-P Sara Duterte as unconstitutional
Philippine Supreme Court rules impeachment bid against V-P Sara Duterte as unconstitutional

New Indian Express

time21 minutes ago

  • New Indian Express

Philippine Supreme Court rules impeachment bid against V-P Sara Duterte as unconstitutional

MANILA: The Philippine Supreme Court ruled Friday that an impeachment case filed against Vice President Sara Duterte violated the country's constitution due to a key technicality, a decision that blocks her upcoming trial over a raft of criminal allegations including her threat to have the president assassinated. The House of Representatives, which impeached Duterte in February and sent the case to the Senate for trial, violated a rule that only one impeachment case could be processed by the lower chamber against an impeachable official in a single year, court spokesperson Camille Ting said. The House received at least four separate impeachment cases against Duterte between December and February but only one was transmitted to the Senate, which would have served as an impeachment tribunal. The other three impeachment cases were placed in the House's order of business but were archived with no action and 'effectively dismissed,' according to the ruling. The ruling was 'immediately executory,' the court said. 'It is not our duty to favor any political result,' the court said in a statement, suggesting it did not pass judgement on the array of allegations. 'Ours is to ensure that politics are framed within the rule of just law.' Duterte's lawyers welcomed the decision, which they said upheld the rule of law. 'We remain prepared to address the allegations at the proper time and before the appropriate forum," the attorneys in a statement. Duterte, 47, became the first vice president of the Philippines to be impeached by the House in February over an array of alleged high crimes. The accusations were led by her threat during a November online news conference to have President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., his wife and cousin, then-House Speaker Martin Romualdez, killed by an assassin if she were killed herself during her high-profile disputes with them. The daughter of Marcos' controversial predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, she also has been accused of large-scale corruption, sedition, terrorism and failing to openly support Philippine government efforts to oppose and denounce China's aggressive actions against Filipino forces in the disputed South China Sea. Duterte allegedly backed her father's brutal crackdowns against illegal drugs that led to extrajudicial killings in their southern home city. Her impeachment trial was set to begin either next week or early next month by the 24-member Senate, which has convened to hear the case. If the Supreme Court ruling becomes final, the vice president's opponents could file another impeachment case after a year. Duterte ran as Marcos's running mate in 2022 on a campaign battle cry of unity in their deeply divided and poverty-stricken Southeast Asian country. Both were scions of strongmen accused of human rights violations, but their strong regional bases of political support combined to give them landslide victories. Their whirlwind political alliance, however, rapidly frayed when they took office. Duterte's father openly accused Marcos of being a weak leader and a drug addict even during the campaign, allegations the president denied. The vice president later resigned from her then-concurrent Cabinet post as educations secretary as the rifts between the two political families deepened. She later accused Marcos, his wife and Romualdez of corruption, weak leadership and attempting to muzzle her because of speculation she may seek the presidency in 2028 when Marcos's six-year term ends. Duterte made the comment about killing Marcos and his family members during a Nov. 23 news conference, a threat she warned wasn't a joke. Faced with the prospects of criminal lawsuits, Duterte later said she wasn't threatening him but was expressing concern for her own safety. Still, her statements set off a criminal investigation and national security concerns and prompted calls for her impeachment. Among the impeachment complaint signatories was the president's son, Rep. Sandro Marcos, and Romualdez. The petition urged the Senate to shift into an impeachment court to try the vice president, 'render a judgement of conviction,' remove her from office and ban her from holding public office. 'Duterte's conduct throughout her tenure clearly displays gross faithlessness against public trust and a tyrannical abuse of power that, taken together, showcases her gross unfitness to hold public office and her infidelity to the laws and the 1987 Constitution,' the complaint said. Last month, senators voted to send the raft of complaints back to the House due to legal questions, sparking street protests demanding Duterte's immediate trial. Then-Senate President Chiz Escudero said the move led by Duterte's allies in the Senate did not mean the impeachment complaint was being dismissed and issued a summons for Duterte to appear when the trial proceeds.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store