A political analyst states that the recent meeting between President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and US President Joe Biden in New York stands to strengthen the two countries’ enduring alliance.
On September 22, the two leaders met on the sidelines of the 77th United Nations General Assembly to discuss regional and global issues, as well as ways to expand bilateral cooperation.
“[B]oth reiterated their strong support for the alliance and also their strong support for a rules-based international system that is a multipolar world. That means the Philippines is strengthening and believes in the partnership that we have with the US and other countries that share the values of the US,” said Dindo Manhit, president of Stratbase ADR Institute for Strategic and International Studies, in a statement.
Stratbase ADR is a non-profit international research organization that conducts in-depth analyses of economic, social, political, and strategic issues affecting the Philippines and the Indo-Pacific region.
Manhit believes it is also the reason why both leaders have reaffirmed their commitment to freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea.
According to a White House press release, Biden and Marcos discussed the situation in the South China Sea and “emphasized their support for freedom of navigation and overflight, as well as peaceful dispute resolution.”
Apart from the South China Sea, the two leaders discussed energy security, climate action, and infrastructure; Russia-Ukraine conflict and its implications for energy prices and food security; Myanmar’s political crisis; and human rights.
