US President Donald Trump noted that parties are close to concluding a significant trade deal with the Philippines during a meeting with President Ferdinand Marcos.
Philippine President's Visit to Washington
Ferdinand Marcos visited Washington to prevent the imposition of new US tariffs that are set to take effect on August 1. During meetings, Trump emphasized the importance of the Philippines militarily and stated, "We’ll probably agree to something," while adding that Marcos is "a very tough negotiator."
Strengthening Military Ties
Before meeting with Trump, Marcos held discussions with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, focusing on military cooperation and regional strategy. Marcos highlighted the long-standing alliances between the Philippines and the US, underscoring their joint missions. Under his leadership, the Philippine side opened more military bases to the US and approved the deployment of US missile systems.
Economic Talks Before Tariff Implementation
Trump announced that trade between the US and the Philippines reached $23.5 billion, with the Philippines having a $4.9 billion trade deficit last year. Despite proposals to reduce tariffs, there is a significant gap between positions. The Philippines proposed to increase imports of US agricultural products, such as soybeans and frozen meat, in exchange for the ability to boost exports of products already purchased in substantial volumes.
Ferdinand Marcos' visit has been an important step in strengthening US-Philippine relations, but there are still many issues that require discussion and agreement between the two countries.
