Latest news with #USPhilippines
Bloomberg
24-07-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Philippines Aims to Further Lower US Tariff to 15%, Envoy Says
The Philippines will aim to bring down the tariff imposed by the US to 15% from 19%, Manila's envoy to Washington said. 'The reason why we came down to the 19% is because that's only what — as President Trump pointed out, that is the base — but there is room for more improvement on the tariff,' Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez said in an interview with Bloomberg Television's David Ingles and Yvonne Man.
CNA
22-07-2025
- Politics
- CNA
Philippine president meets US defence chief, secretary of state ahead of talks with Trump
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr could get closer to sealing a deal on trade when he meets the US president in their first face-to-face meeting. Mr Marcos is the first Southeast Asian leader to meet Donald Trump in his second term in office. Mr Marcos has already met the defense secretary and the secretary of state. Pete Hegseth and Marco Rubio affirmed strong support for a longstanding ally, given Manila's concerns over Beijing's assertiveness on territory in the South China Sea. Nick Harper reports from Washington DC.
South China Morning Post
27-06-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
China warns Philippines against ‘self-inflicted destruction' by hosting US missile systems
China's Defence Ministry has warned the Philippines against 'self-inflicted destruction' by hosting US missile systems and denounced Manila's plan to encourage fishermen to operate in disputed South China Sea waters. Meanwhile, the Chinese embassy in Manila dismissed drug-smuggling allegations by Philippine military officials as 'baseless slander'. The United States has reportedly decided to deploy additional strategic Typhon missile systems in the Philippines after transporting the mid-range missile launcher to Luzon last year. The US Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) anti-ship missiles, used in last month's Balikatan joint exercise, will also remain as a 'deterrent against coercion', the Philippine military said. Manila's move to introduce these strategic weapons is 'binding itself to the US war machine', which would undermine regional security and stability and sabotage the common interests of regional nations, Chinese Defence Ministry spokesman Zhang Xiaogang said in Beijing on Thursday. 'Inviting wolves into the house will backfire, leading to self-destruction. They will destroy their own homes,' Zhang said.
South China Morning Post
24-06-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
A South China Sea digital commons could help calm troubled waters
On June 14, the Chinese military conducted sea and air patrols in the South China Sea, even as the Philippines and Japan held a joint drill in the waters. Earlier in the month, the US and the Philippines had held joint exercises in the sea. Tian Junli, spokesperson of the People's Liberation Army Southern Theatre Command, criticised the Philippines for 'courting non-regional countries and organisations' – likely alluding to the US and Japan – to conduct such drills, saying they 'raised security risks' in the region. He said the Chinese forces would remain on 'high alert' to safeguard China's sovereignty and maritime rights. Parts of the South China Sea – a vital conduit for an estimated US$3.4 trillion in annual global trade – are claimed by China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei, with China's nine-dash line overlapping other nations' exclusive economic zones. China views US-Philippine patrols as external interference meant to challenge its claims. Conversely, the Philippines sees these exercises as essential for safeguarding its sovereignty and ensuring freedom of navigation. Reuters reported that the Philippines' patrols with the US took place within undisputed waters off Occidental Mindoro and Zambales. Interestingly, the Philippine Navy has denied China's claims of coordinated patrols during the drills with Japan. The cycle of patrols and counter-patrols highlights the risk of miscalculation in a region critical to global trade and security. The South China Sea operates as a low-information zone, where limited shared awareness among rival forces increases the risk of misinterpretation and escalation.
South China Morning Post
17-06-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Philippines says more US Typhon missiles ‘very welcome' despite China's warnings
The Philippine army has signalled it would welcome additional US Typhon missile systems to accelerate troop training and strengthen deterrence, despite Beijing 's repeated denunciations of the system as a destabilising force that risks fuelling tensions in the South China Sea Advertisement Speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday, Philippine Army spokesman Colonel Louie Dema‑ala said the arrival of more Typhon launchers, which are also known as Medium Range Capability (MRC) systems, would 'be very welcome' because training on the advanced weapons system has been limited to only a few personnel thus far. 'Yes, any additional deployment of the MRC is very welcome to the Philippine Army as this will help us and fast track our training when it comes to new capabilities,' he told reporters. He stressed, however, that no official decision had yet been made on any new deployment. The first Typhon system arrived in the Philippines in April 2024 during joint US-Philippine exercises, marking its first overseas deployment. The ground-based launcher, capable of firing Tomahawk and SM-6 missiles with ranges of up to 2,000 kilometres, puts parts of the South China Sea, Taiwan Strait and even southern China within striking distance. The system remains stationed in northern Luzon for ongoing training. Philippine and US soldiers conduct joint Mid-Range Capability (MRC) training during Exercise Salaknib in northern Luzon on June 27, 2024. Photo: US Army The possibility of the Philippines' receiving more Typhon systems was first raised last month during a visit by foreign journalists to the US Indo-Pacific Command (IndoPacom) headquarters in Hawaii under Washington's Friends, Partners, Allies Programme for Journalists.
