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Philippine leader cites stable ties on visit to Beijing

In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, Visiting Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., left, and Chinese President Xi Jinping listen to the national anthems of their countries on stage during a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is pushing for closer economic ties on a visit to China that seeks to sidestep territorial disputes in the South China Sea. (Yue Yuewei/Xinhua via AP)

In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, Visiting Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., right, and Chinese President Xi Jinping review an honor guard during a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is pushing for closer economic ties on a visit to China that seeks to sidestep territorial disputes in the South China Sea. (Yao Dawei/Xinhua via AP)

In this photo provided by the Philippines Office of the Press Secretary, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., left, shakes hands with President Xi Jinping during a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023. Marcos is pushing for closer economic ties on a visit to China that seeks to sidestep territorial disputes in the South China Sea. (Philippines Office of the Press Secretary via AP)

In this photo provided by the Philippines Office of the Press Secretary, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., second from left, shakes hands with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi while President Xi Jinping, left, looks on during a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023. Marcos is pushing for closer economic ties on a visit to China that seeks to sidestep territorial disputes in the South China Sea. (Philippines Office of the Press Secretary via AP)

In this photo provided by the Philippines Office of the Press Secretary, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., left, and President Xi Jinping stand during a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023. Marcos is pushing for closer economic ties on a visit to China that seeks to sidestep territorial disputes in the South China Sea. (Philippines Office of the Press Secretary via AP)

In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, Visiting Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., right, walks with Chinese President Xi Jinping after reviewing an honor guard during a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is pushing for closer economic ties on a visit to China that seeks to sidestep territorial disputes in the South China Sea. (Shen Hong/Xinhua via AP)

In this photo provided by the Philippines Office of the Press Secretary, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., right, and President Xi Jinping review an honor guard during a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023. Marcos is pushing for closer economic ties on a visit to China that seeks to sidestep territorial disputes in the South China Sea. (Philippines Office of the Press Secretary via AP)

In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, Chinese President Xi Jinping, third from left, talks to visiting Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., third from right, during a bilateral meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is pushing for closer economic ties on a visit to China that seeks to sidestep territorial disputes in the South China Sea. (Yue Yuewei/Xinhua via AP)

In this handout photo provided by the Malacanang Presidential Photographers Division, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., left, speaks during his meeting with China’s Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress Li Zhanshu, not shown, at the Great Hall of the People, in Beijing, China, Wednesday Jan. 4, 2023. (Malacanang Presidential Photographers Division via AP)

In this handout photo provided by the Malacanang Presidential Photographers Division, China’s Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress Li Zhanshu, center, meets with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., not shown, at the Great Hall of the People, in Beijing, China, Wednesday Jan. 4, 2023. (Malacanang Presidential Photographers Division via AP)

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BEIJING (AP) — Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has cited stable ties with China during a visit to Beijing in which he has sought to downplay territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

After being hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, both nations are seeking to recharge investments in bridges and other projects, along with tourism and agriculture.

Disputes linger however over islands and waters in the strategic South China Sea, which Beijing claims virtually in its entirety.

In a video address released by his office Wednesday, Marcos said the sides discussed “what we can do to move forward, to avoid possible mistakes, misunderstandings that could trigger a bigger problem than what we already have.”

Marcos said he made the case for Filipino fishermen who have been denied access to their traditional areas of operation by China’s navy and coast guard.

“The president promised that we would find a compromise and find a solution that will be beneficial so that our fishermen might be able to fish again in their natural fishing grounds,” Marcos said.

A joint statement issued Thursday said Xi and Marcos had an “in-depth and candid exchange of views on the situation in the South China Sea, emphasized that maritime issues do not comprise the sum-total of relations between the two countries and agreed to appropriately manage differences through peaceful means,” according to China’s official Xinhua News Agency.

“Both sides reaffirmed the importance of maintaining and promoting peace and stability in the region and the freedom of navigation in and overflight above the South China Sea,” the statement added.

Accompanied by a large business delegation, Marcos presided at meetings Thursday seeking to finalize trade and investment deals. China accounts for 20% of the Philippines’ foreign trade and is also a major source of foreign direct investment.

China’s official Xinhua News Agency said that both sides “agreed to handle maritime issues properly through friendly consultation” and resume talks on oil and gas exploration.

Xi named agriculture, infrastructure, energy and culture as four key areas of cooperation. He said that China is willing to assist in agriculture and rural development in the Philippines and in infrastructure and connectivity projects, Xinhua reported.

Marcos received a commitment from Xi to address the Philippines’ trade deficit with China, his office said. The two sides are finalizing rules for imports of fruits from the Philippines, which Marcos said would start to balance the trade.

The Philippine leader said he also looked forward to the return of Chinese tourists once the COVID-19 situation in China settles. Last year, only about 9,500 Chinese visited the Philippines, down from about 1.6 million before the pandemic.

In comments to the head of China’s ceremonial legislature, Li Zhanshu, Marcos said the two countries “be able to face the challenges and the different shocks that now we are already beginning to feel and will be continue to feel in the next few years.”

Beijing has ignored a 2016 ruling by a tribunal in The Hague brought by the Philippines that invalidated Beijing’s claims to the waterway.

China has since developed disputed reefs into artificial islands with airplane runways and other structures so they now resemble forward military bases.

Most recently, a Filipino military commander reported that the Chinese coast guard forcibly seized Chinese rocket debris that Philippine navy personnel had retrieved in the South China Sea last month.

China denied the forcible seizure, saying the Filipino sailors willingly handed over the debris. Marcos did not say whether he had raised the issue in his meetings with Chinese leaders.

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Philippine President Marcos arrives in China for 3-day state visit

MANILA - President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr arrived in China on Tuesday for a three-day state visit, during which Manila and Beijing are expected to bolster trade and investment ties and address security issues of mutual concern.

More than 10 key bilateral agreements are expected to be signed during the visit, in addition to the more than 100 agreements the Philippines already has with China, said Mr Marcos in a speech on Tuesday before departing for Beijing. 

The expected agreements are regarding cooperation in areas such as trade and investments, agriculture, renewable energy, infrastructure, development cooperation, people-to-people ties and maritime security cooperation.

“I will be opening a new chapter in our comprehensive strategic cooperation with China,” Mr Marcos said.

He also said he will discuss political security issues during his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Mr Marcos said he will also seek to resolve these issues with Beijing for the mutual benefit of the two nations.

At a palace briefing last week, Mr Neal Imperial, the assistant secretary for Asian and public affairs of the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs, said: “The state visit is also expected to reaffirm the cordial and neighbourly relations between the two countries, ensure continuity in many facets of the bilateral relationship, and chart new areas of engagement.

“It is also expected to build on the growing trade and investment ties between the two economies, as well as address security issues of mutual concern.”

The President was accompanied by First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Speaker Martin Romualdez, Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo, Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno, Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual, Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco, Information and Communications Technology Secretary Ivan John Uy, and other department chiefs.

Mr Marcos’ activities begin on Wednesday, with successive meetings with Mr Li Zhanshu, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, as well as with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, and President Xi.

Mr Xi will then host a state banquet for his Philippine counterpart.

This will also be the second meeting between the two leaders after their meeting in Thailand in November on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.

In September 1974, Mr Marcos, then a teenager, accompanied his mother, then First Lady Imelda Marcos, during her diplomatic and trade mission to Beijing, where she met Chinese leaders Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai.

The visit led to the establishment of formal diplomatic relations between the Philippines and China in June 1975, with Mr Marcos’ father and namesake visiting Beijing that month.

Mr Imperial said a sizeable business delegation would join the President on his trip, with meetings to be held on Wednesday and Thursday. Business deals, he said, are expected to be signed during Mr Marcos’ visit.

In his speech on Tuesday, Mr Marcos said that bilateral cooperation between the two countries has grown steadily. “Today, our ties are deep, multifaceted, and mutually beneficial.”

He added: “China is our largest trading partner, a major source of official development assistance, and, before the pandemic, the second-largest source of tourist arrivals.”

As the Philippines opens up in the new normal of the pandemic, Mr Marcos said that he will “invite our Chinese neighbours to once again return to the Philippines as tourists, as students, investors”.

He said: “I shall push for the resumption of tourism and cultural cooperation between our two countries.”

Mr Marcos is also expected to raise anew the issue of the West Philippine Sea.

Mr Imperial said Manila and Beijing have agreed to sign an accord establishing direct communication between their foreign ministries to avoid miscalculation and miscommunication in the West Philippine Sea.

The agreement will be signed by Foreign Secretary Manalo and top Chinese diplomat Wang Yi.

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Marcos: PH-China ties entering ‘new chapter’

RANGE OF ISSUES | President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos board the plane to Beijing on Tuesday afternoon for his three-day state visit to China. (Photo by MARIANNE BERMUDEZ / Philippine Daily Inquirer)

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. flew to China on Tuesday for a three-day state visit, as he seeks to open what he called Manila’s “new chapter” with Beijing even amid lingering tensions due to political and security issues in the West Philippine Sea.

In a speech before boarding his flight at Villamor Air Base, the president said he was looking forward to discussing “political-security issues of a bilateral and regional nature” with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

“The issues between our two countries are problems that do not belong between two friends such as Philippines and China,” Marcos said, adding: “We will seek to resolve those issues to the mutual benefit of our two countries.”

It was his first visit to Beijing since winning the presidency in May last year and succeeding Rodrigo Duterte, who had cultivated warm relations with China while often appearing hostile toward the country’s treaty ally, the United States.

Yet Marcos, since taking office, has also moved to mend ties with Washington in what some foreign policy watchers described as a “delicate balancing act.”

‘Serious discussion’

Julio Amador III, president of the Foundation for the National Interest, said the trip was crucial, considering the country’s economic ties and “rocky” security issues with China.

“The meeting between the two leaders will hopefully allow for more open communications, but it is the follow-up actions that will be critical,” he told the Inquirer.

The Beijing trip “will test how good [Marcos] is in maintaining a delicate balancing act in his foreign policy, especially between the US and China,” said Aaron Jed Rabena, a research fellow at Asia-Pacific Pathways to Progress.

Marcos should be able to lay out the country’s “red lines” on the West Philippine Sea and on Taiwan, the other touchy issue between China and the US, said Mark Manantan of the Honolulu-based foreign policy research institute Pacific Forum.

“He has to have a serious discussion about Taiwan and South China Sea… It will also be to the benefit of China if it says its intent on Taiwan in Southeast Asia. It has to recognize the sentiment of Southeast Asia toward Taiwan,” he told the Inquirer.

But in his speech, Marcos did not mention the maritime dispute with China, which has further strained relations between the two countries after a 2016 arbitral ruling invalidating the latter’s sweeping claims in practically the whole South China Sea.

Beijing has refused to recognize the 2016 Hague ruling that recognized the Philippines’ sovereign right to fish and explore for resources in the West Philippine Sea, referring to waters within the country’s 370-kilometer exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the South China Sea.

“As I leave for Beijing, I will be opening a new chapter in our Comprehensive Strategic Cooperation with China,” Marcos said in his prepared speech.

He added that he would “foster meaningful relations and broaden our cooperation” with China in agriculture, energy, infrastructure, science and technology, trade and investment, and people-to-people exchanges.

‘Higher gear’

On his first full day in Beijing on Wednesday, Marcos will sit in meetings with Li Zhanshu, chair of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, and Xi.

“I look forward to my meeting with President Xi as we work toward shifting the trajectory of our relations to a higher gear that would hopefully bring numerous prospects and abundant opportunities for the peace and development to the peoples of both our countries,” the president said.

The Jan. 4 bilateral talks between Marcos and Xi will be their second meeting since the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Bangkok, Thailand, in November last year.

The president also affirmed what according to his administration were China’s roles as the country’s largest trading partner, as a major source of official development assistance, and as the second-largest source of tourist arrivals before the pandemic.

He thanked China for being the first country to send COVID-19 vaccines to the Philippines in February 2021 as countries around the world struggled to secure jabs.

“You were the first to come to our aid,” he said, adding that aside from vaccines, Beijing also provided personal protective equipment and technical assistance to the country.

Marcos also said he would push for the resumption of tourism and cultural cooperation between Manila and Beijing.

“As our doors open up in the new normal, I will invite our Chinese neighbors to once again return to the Philippines as tourists, as students, investors,” he said.

Joining Marcos on his trip were his wife Liza Araneta-Marcos, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Speaker Martin Romualdez, Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo, Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno, and Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual.

Tourism Secretary Ma. Christina Frasco, Information and Communications Technology Secretary Ivan John Uy, Press Undersecretary Cheloy Velicaria-Garafil, and other Cabinet members were also part of the delegation.

‘Smuggled onions’

Also on Tuesday, activist groups Bayan, Pamalakaya, and Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) urged the president to stand his ground and assert the Philippines’ sovereignty over the disputed waters in the South China Sea.

“The elephant in the room is still the arbitral win of the Philippines in the West Philippine Sea. Marcos must not diminish our legal victory during his state visit,” Bayan secretary general Renato Reyes said.

Marcos should “do what he can, in accordance with diplomacy, to assert our sovereign rights and not cede an inch of our EEZ,” he added.

Pamalakaya chair Fernando Hicap said the president must “boldly demand Chinese President Xi Jinping to stop the intimidating presence of Chinese militia and large fishing vessels to Filipino fishers.”

Hicap also emphasized a study that found Chinese construction led to the destruction of at least 550 hectares of coral reefs in Scarborough Shoal and 1,300 ha of coral reefs in the Kalayaan Group of Islands.

“All it takes is the Marcos administration’s strong political will to hold China accountable for irreversible damage to our territorial waters caused by its plunder and aggression,” he said.

KMP chair Danilo Ramos said Marcos, as concurrent agriculture secretary, should also raise the “rampant smuggling” of vegetables into the Philippines.

“Smuggled onions from China have pushed up onion retail prices to as much as P700 per kilo in local markets. This is very alarming,” he said.

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“[It] is only just for Marcos Jr. to diplomatically call the attention of Chinese authorities regarding the unbridled, large-scale smuggling of billions worth of vegetables from China,” he added.

—WITH REPORTS FROM KRIXIA SUBINGSUBING AND DEMPSEY REYES

Related stories, ph, china seen to establish direct line ‘to avoid miscommunication’ on wps issues , things to expect from marcos jr.’s china visit: ‘durian diplomacy,’ talks on wps, others, chinese ambassador assures ph: we’re always ready to help.

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Marcos emphasizes economic ties on visit to China

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is pushing for closer economic ties on a visit to China that seeks to sidestep territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

The countries have both been rocked by economic crises linked to the COVID-19 pandemic, but are looking to recharge investments in bridges and other projects, along with tourism and agriculture.

Marcos, who held separate meetings with President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang, said the Philippines and China have an opportunity to revitalize their relationship and deepen cooperation and partnership, his office said in a news release.

He acknowledged though that the two countries have some difficulties that they have to deal with, the release said.

The visit comes against the background of disputes over islands and waters in the strategic South China Sea.

China's official Xinhua News Agency said that both sides "agreed to handle maritime issues properly through friendly consultation" and resume talks on oil and gas exploration.

Xi named agriculture, infrastructure, energy and culture as four key areas of cooperation. He said that China is willing to assist in agriculture and rural development in the Philippines and in infrastructure and connectivity projects, Xinhua reported.

Accompanied by a large business delegation, Marcos had said he will seek to finalize major infrastructure agreements during the visit.

China accounts for 20 per cent of the Philippines' foreign trade and is also a major source of foreign direct investment.

In comments to the head of China's ceremonial legislature, Li Zhanshu, Marcos said the two countries "be able to face the challenges and the different shocks that now we are already beginning to feel and will be continue to feel in the next few years."

China's increasingly assertive territorial claims have placed the Philippines in a quandary, most pointedly in regards to China's claim to virtually the entire South China Sea. Beijing has ignored a 2016 ruling by a tribunal in The Hague brought by the Philippines that invalidated Beijing's claims to the waterway.

China has since developed disputed reefs into artificial islands with airplane runways and other structures so they now resemble forward military bases.

Most recently, a Filipino military commander reported that the Chinese coast guard forcibly seized Chinese rocket debris that Philippine navy personnel had retrieved in the South China Sea last month.

China denied the forcible seizure. Marcos said he would seek further clarification on his visit to Beijing.

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Marcos, Back in Arms of U.S., Is Making His Own Name in Foreign Policy

In his first months in power, the Philippines leader has reforged a strong alliance with the U.S., winning praise even as questions remain about his path and intent at home.

By Sui-Lee Wee

Before becoming president of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. warned that “if you let the U.S. come in, you make China your enemy.”

But as he sat at the White House on Monday, President Biden feted him as a top ally, saying there was no better partner that Washington could have.

Mr. Marcos — in office for not even a year — has emerged as one of the Philippines’ most transformative foreign policy presidents, switching from a diplomatic tightrope to a forceful pivot toward Washington in the intensifying rivalry with China.

Soon after his inauguration in June, Mr. Marcos welcomed a succession of visits by several top-level American officials. Defense officials began briefing Mr. Marcos about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the parallels of a potential similar attack by China on Taiwan, which sits across a narrow waterway from the Philippines. Then, in January, Mr. Marcos announced that the United States would gain access to four more military sites in the Philippines. Last month, the Philippines hosted the biggest-ever joint military drills between the two countries.

“The surprising thing, for me, is the pace and the acceleration,” said Aries Arugay, a visiting fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore. “I would not have anticipated me saying this last year, but I think in terms of the foreign policy front, he is giving the right cues.”

Mr. Marcos, known by his boyhood nickname, Bongbong, has the electorate’s backing. Surveys have shown that most Filipinos consider China to be a pressing threat and want the Marcos administration to work more closely with the United States to resist Beijing’s territorial pressure and improve its security forces. Mr. Marcos’s approval rating stands at 78 percent, according to a March survey conducted by Pulse Asia, a polling company.

Analysts say that another factor driving Mr. Marcos’s outreach is his personal desire to rehabilitate his family name, one that for decades was seen as a byword for excess and greed.

The Marcoses are accused of looting as much as $10 billion from the government before fleeing to Hawaii in 1986, when the peaceful “ People Power” protests toppled Mr. Marcos’s father, the dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos. The family returned to the Philippines shortly after the death of the elder Mr. Marcos in 1989 .

Since his election, the younger Mr. Marcos has embarked on 10 international trips that his administration says have drummed up investments, even though the opposition has questioned the usefulness of these visits.

“The context here is that, for the longest time, the Marcoses have not been given access to the international space,” said Cleve Arguelles, the chief executive of WR Numero Research, a polling firm in the Philippines. “If you have this kind of ‘restorationist’ president, meaning restoring the reputation and the glory of the Marcos family, I think that plays into the decision of how foreign policy choices are made.”

Despite his new popularity, Mr. Marcos remains a polarizing figure.

On Monday, a group of left-leaning political activists gathered outside the U.S. Embassy in Manila to protest Mr. Marcos’s meeting with Mr. Biden. “We fear that more of our sovereignty will be bartered off in exchange for secondhand equipment and promises of military aid,” said Renato Reyes, the leader of the group, Bayan.

Even as recently as last year, it was unclear what kind of reception Mr. Marcos would receive in the United States. He faces an outstanding contempt of court order in Hawaii for refusing to disclose where his family’s wealth is hidden, resulting in damages that cannot be paid in a class-action lawsuit filed for human rights abuses under his father’s rule.

Soon after Mr. Marcos’s election victory, Kurt Campbell, the White House coordinator for the Indo-Pacific, said that “historical considerations” could pose “challenges” to the Biden administration’s engagement with Mr. Marcos.

There are fears that Mr. Marcos could follow in the autocratic footsteps of his father, who was still supported by past American presidents before his fall. To his detractors, he is a historical revisionist whose sole aim is to whitewash his family’s tarnished legacy; he is accused of waging a disinformation campaign to win the election; and human rights activists say he has done nothing to address the abuses committed by his father and his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte.

For these Filipinos, watching the meeting between Mr. Marcos and Mr. Biden was surreal.

“There’s a lot of historical vertigo for folks who pay attention to Philippine politics, but also Filipinos themselves,” said Adrian De Leon, a Filipino writer and historian at the University of Southern California. “It was just less than 50 years ago that the father of the current president of this administration was being condemned publicly by a lot of prominent members of the U.S. government, Biden himself included. And here we have him courting the son.”

Mr. De Leon said he found it particularly disturbing “the swiftness with which, history is not just forgotten, but actively lobotomized.”

In 1986, Mr. Biden, then a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, criticized President Ronald Reagan’s “waffling statements” on the elder Marcos, who had imposed a 14-year period of martial law resulting in the arrests and torture of thousands.

“We cannot afford to choose between our interests in the Philippines. We have important military installations there and we have a commitment to the survival of democracy,” Mr. Biden said to the Senate, according to the Congressional Record. “The two are inseparable.”

Representative Susan Wild, Democrat of Pennsylvania, has proposed legislation to suspend military aid to the Philippines until it improves its human rights record. She said she has pressed Secretary of State Antony Blinken repeatedly to raise the issue of human rights with Filipino officials and has “been assured more than one time that the Biden administration takes it very seriously.”

Mr. Marcos, 65, got an early taste of politics from his father. As a child, he met two of China’s transformative leaders, Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping, and Gen. Francisco Franco, the Spanish dictator. Mr. Biden noted that the last time Mr. Marcos was in the White House was when he accompanied the elder Marcos in a meeting with former President Reagan.

Until last year, it was never clear where Mr. Marcos personally stood on the United States, given his family’s history. But by inclination and background, he has demonstrated that he is pro-Western in his leanings. He went to Oxford University in England. He enjoys watching Formula 1 and loves rock music, particularly Eric Clapton and the Beatles. He also loves cooking for his family and makes a mean gumbo, according to Matthew Marcos Manotoc, Mr. Marcos’s nephew and the governor of Ilocos Norte, the stronghold of the Marcos family.

Before last year’s visit to New York in September, Mr. Marcos had not set foot in the United States for 15 years, saying he could not “take that risk” of potential jail time.

Robert Swift, the lawyer who launched the class action suit against the Marcoses, said that he is awaiting a verdict from a New York court on a possible redistribution of $40 million worth of funds belonging to the elder Marcos and that he was optimistic about getting another payout for the victims.

Mr. Swift said that “the United States government can do better by human rights victims.”

“But the story of the last 50 years is that the United States will support dictators so long as they are friendly dictators,” he said, “and that they will let them do what they want in their home countries without the U.S. interfering.”

Jason Gutierrez and Camille Elemia contributed reporting.

Sui-Lee Wee is the Southeast Asia bureau chief for The Times. She was part of the team that won the 2021 Pulitzer Prize for public service for coverage of the coronavirus pandemic. More about Sui-Lee Wee

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The Significance of Philippine President Marcos’ Visit to China

Lucio Blanco Pitlo III

Hosting Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was the opening act for China’s diplomatic efforts this 2023. As the Lunar New Year dawns, it is worth reflecting on what the visit meant for both countries. 

Rise of neighborhood diplomacy  

For China, the visit portends greater importance attached to neighborhood diplomacy. Despite signaling its intent to improve ties with the United States, as demonstrated in the appointment of its former ambassador to Washington, Qin Gang, as its new Foreign Minister, Beijing expects competition will continue to dominate great power relations, that decoupling will carry on, and that regional flashpoints may become potential tinderboxes for U.S.-China confrontation. As the U.S. and other major powers diminish reliance on the Chinese market, so too does China on Western capital and technologies. 

The turn to its immediate neighbors, especially in Southeast Asia, has a strong economic and security impetus. Since 2020, the second year of the U.S.-China trade war, ASEAN members have emerged as China’s largest trade partners. Meanwhile, hotspots that pit China with its ASEAN coastal neighbors, notably the South China Sea, have the prospect of inviting rival powers. Hence, it is in Beijing’s interest to keep sound relations with its neighbors. Such desire is reflected in the timing of the hosting of regional leaders. For instance, in July of last year, Indonesian President Joko Widodo became the first head of state hosted by China since the Beijing Winter Olympics. Last November, Communist Party of Vietnam Secretary General Nguyen Phu Trong was the first foreign leader to visit Beijing after the 20th Communist Party of China Congress. Seen from this vantage point, Marcos’ visit to start the year was not an outlier. Rather, it is a trend that is likely to gather pace as China leverages proximity and economic heft to win countries in its critical periphery. 

China understands that the Philippines-U.S. alliance runs deep. With the departure of China-friendly former president Rodrigo Duterte, Washington is doubling down in entreating Manila back to its fold. Beijing does not expect to flip Manila to its side,but it does wish to convey its security concerns. Through inducements and disincentives, it aims to dissuade its neighbors from closing ranks with rivals. 

Gearing to gain from China’s reopening 

For the Philippines, the state visit is in line with its independent foreign policy strategy of being “a friend to all and an enemy to none.” It also underpins Manila’s conviction that the maritime row does not represent the sum total of its relations with its big neighbor. China is the country’s largest trade partner, major investor, rising infrastructure builder, and fastest-growing tourist market. Coming amid a surge in Covid-19 cases, Marcos’ visit was much a show of solidarity as it is about positioning the Philippines as China reopens to the world. 

Compared to its mainland ASEAN neighbors like Vietnam and Thailand, Manila’s insularity, high utility, and production costs, lack of coherent long-term economic planning, and traditional Western orientation long disadvantaged it in attracting more Chinese trade and investment. Like his predecessor, Marcos wanted to arrest this. He wants to offset some of his country’s geographic and infrastructure handicaps by fostering robust political and diplomatic ties with Beijing. Economics is a key piece behind his aspiration to shift relations to a higher gear.  

Of the fourteen bilateral deals signed during the visit, eleven pertain to agriculture, fisheries, infrastructure, tourism, e-commerce, and development cooperation. Marcos sees a synergy between his “Build Better More” and China’s nine-year-old Belt and Road Initiative with both sides renewing partnerships for infrastructure development. He obtained funding for three priority bridges in Metro Manila as China commenced work on the Davao-Samal Island bridge in Mindanao. Eager to bolster his country’s e-connectivity, he bagged a deal to promote cooperation on digital and emerging technologies. 

Marcos added durian to a growing list of lucrative tropical fruit exports to China that already includes bananas, pineapples, green coconuts, and avocados. More than sourcing fertilizers and farm produce from China to address poor domestic production and rising costs in the short run, he hopes to attract Chinese investment to modernize Philippine agriculture. Raring to get more Chinese travelers as the world’s largest tourist market returns, he obtained an agreement to boost tourism. Hence, pragmatism - not geopolitics - was the driver behind his visit. 

Downplaying disputes to expand economic ties 

Keen to insulate broader relations from a long-running multiparty maritime spat, both sides restored high-level dialogue on the South China Sea. A communication mechanism between their foreign ministries was established. Both sides are poised to resume a bilateral consultative channel setup in 2016, as well as practical cooperation between their coast guards and annual security talks. While such dialogue and confidence-building measures remain stopgap measures, their role in managing sea incidents cannot be understated. Such venues can also complement efforts by ASEAN members and China to step up negotiations for a Code of Conduct and explore other options in handling the persistent row. 

No claimant is expected to diminish their position in the flashpoint. Duterte, despite fostering cozy ties with Beijing, has upgraded Philippine facilities in the Spratlys and embarked on military and coast guard modernization. The country became the first foreign buyer of India’s BrahMos cruise missiles co-developed with Russia and Turkey’s T-129 ATAK helicopters. Manila also became the first market of Japan’s overseas defense export - four radar systems - with Tokyo also supplying the Philippine Coast Guard with a big brand new multirole response vessels. Under Duterte, the country also acquired Brazilian Super Tucano light attack aircraft, and Black Hawk helicopters, and ordered Korean corvettes and offshore patrol vessels, not to mention Russian heavy-lift choppers. Before the pandemic hit, Manila was close to signing a contract for submarines. Hence, diplomacy did not crowd out defense buildup. What Marcos’ predecessor did was to prevent the disputes from defining relations with Beijing and for good reason. 

While protesting and responding to China’s actions in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone is imperative, making the maritime tiff front and center of ties is counterproductive. As the late Philippine Ambassador to China Jose Santiago Sta Romana stressed, the contentious part of the relations should be compartmentalized so that other aspects can flourish. Disputes aside, no littoral state in the contested sea has reduced trade with and investment from China. Quite the contrary, all of them expanded their business with Beijing. Vietnam, China’s arch-foe in the South China Sea, is its largest trade partner in ASEAN and sixth largest overall trade partner. Malaysia and Indonesia are also among China’s largest global trading partners. These neighbors continue to shore up their maritime capacity and reinforce their presence in the flashpoint, all the while maintaining dialogue and downplaying the disputes. Such a lesson is worth pondering for Manila. 

Marcos’ visit to China signals the growing importance of neighborhood diplomacy in China’s foreign relations hierarchy. For the Philippines, it conveys a desire to ride on its big neighbor’s rebound and to keep disputes from impairing overall relations. 

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The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW Washington, DC 20500

Joint Statement of the Leaders of the United   States and the   Philippines

President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. is honored to welcome Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to Washington, DC. The leaders recognize the remarkable ties of friendship, community, and shared sacrifice that serve as the foundation of the U.S.-Philippines alliance. President Biden and President Marcos welcome the historic momentum in U.S.-Philippine relations, and resolve to continue expanding engagement and cooperation on all issues of common concern.  In efforts to promote inclusive and broad-based prosperity, invest in the clean energy transition and the fight against climate change, uphold international peace and stability, and ensure respect for human rights and the rule of law, the United States and the Philippines will remain the closest of allies, working together to deliver a better future for our citizens and tackle the emerging challenges of the twenty-first century.

Partnering for Peace and Security: Strengthening our Alliance, Upholding International Law, and Expanding Regional Collaboration

President Biden reaffirms the United States’ ironclad alliance commitments to the Philippines, underscoring that an armed attack on Philippine armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft in the Pacific, including in the South China Sea, would invoke U.S. mutual defense commitments under Article IV of the 1951 U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty. The leaders welcome the identification of new sites pursuant to the U.S.-Philippines Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, which will strengthen Philippine security and support the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ modernization goals, while driving U.S. investment to local communities across the Philippines and improving our shared ability to rapidly deliver humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. The leaders underscore their unwavering commitment to freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea, and the importance of respecting the sovereign rights of states within their exclusive economic zones consistent with international law. The leaders support the right and ability of Filipino fisherfolk to pursue their traditional livelihoods. The leaders note the ruling of the 2016 arbitral tribunal, constituted pursuant to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). They affirm the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait as an indispensable element of global security and prosperity. The leaders convey support for Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, noting that the conflict has adversely affected food and energy security in the Indo-Pacific. The leaders welcome cooperation with partners that share the United States’ and the Philippines’ commitment to international law and mutual respect, and in that spirit, they reaffirm their strong support for ASEAN centrality and the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific. They look forward to establishing trilateral modes of cooperation among the Philippines, Japan, and the United States, as well as the Philippines, Australia, and the United States. Furthermore, they welcome the Quad’s commitment to support a peaceful and stable, rules-based region with ASEAN at the center, through its efforts to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific.

Delivering Prosperity and Resilience: Driving Broad-Based Economic Growth, Accelerating the Clean Energy Transition, and Promoting the Well-Being of Our Citizens

President Biden and President Marcos resolve to draw on the strength of their partnership to promote enduring economic growth and prosperity in the United States, the Philippines, and the broader Indo-Pacific region. To that end, President Biden will dispatch a Presidential Trade and Investment Mission to the Philippines on his behalf, to enhance U.S. companies’ investment in the Philippines’ innovation economy, its clean energy transition and critical minerals sector, and the food security of its people. Furthermore, the leaders announce that the United States and the Philippines will co-host the 2024 Indo-Pacific Business Forum – the United States’ marquee commercial event in the region – in Manila, which will further establish the Philippines as a key hub for regional supply chains and high-quality investment. Additionally, the two countries will pursue engagements with stakeholders, including in the business and social sectors, regarding opportunities to enhance bilateral economic engagement in a manner that is worker-centered, sustainability-driven, fair, and transparent, focusing on sectors in which it is critical to develop resilient supply chains and in which significant and meaningful economic value-added and employment can be generated in the United States and the Philippines. The leaders welcome their countries’ plans to prioritize bilateral economic cooperation through the U.S.-Philippines Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA). The leaders also applaud progress in developing the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, which will deliver concrete benefits to our workers, families, and businesses by promoting trade, supply chain resilience, clean economy development, and anti-corruption throughout the region. The two leaders look forward to seeing one another again in San Francisco this November for the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week, to advance sustainable and inclusive economic growth in the region. Recognizing that the climate crisis poses an existential threat to the world, and the Philippines’ particular vulnerability to the effects of climate change, the leaders reaffirm they will undertake urgent action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. They resolve to expand collaboration on renewable energy production to accelerate the clean energy transition while bringing down energy costs and expanding energy access for families. The leaders hail progress in negotiating a U.S.-Philippines civil nuclear cooperation agreement (“123 agreement”). The United States and the Philippines will also pursue an ambitious program of cooperation on wind, solar, and geothermal energy, while enhancing cooperation on reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the waste, road, and shipping sectors. The leaders further resolve to expand cooperation on environmental protections, including enhanced domain awareness, marine conservation, and protecting coastal areas from environmental degradation. Acknowledging the paramount significance of science and technology in propelling our countries forward, the leaders pledge to promote increased cooperation and knowledge sharing between the United States and the Philippines through the Science and Technology Agreement (STA), and they welcome U.S. plans to establish an Open-RAN Interoperability Lab in Manila. Recognizing the importance of enhancing and sustaining joint efforts in outer space activities, the leaders also welcome their countries’ plan to prioritize and strengthen bilateral space cooperation, including by convening their first bilateral Civil Space Dialogue this year. The leaders underscore the importance of strong democratic institutions, rule of law, and respect for human rights, including freedom of expression, press, and association, and they note the importance of countering any form of violence in our societies, such as that against civil society, women, children, and marginalized groups. The leaders welcome the establishment of a bilateral Labor Working Group as part of the U.S.-Philippines TIFA, which will provide an important opportunity for the United States and the Philippines to work together on implementation of internationally recognized labor rights, and to facilitate exchange and dialogue among U.S. and Philippine governments and labor unions, as well as employer organizations. The leaders recognize that the people-to-people ties between the two countries are an indispensable pillar of our partnership, manifested in their immense contributions to both the United States and the Philippines.  The leaders note the service and sacrifice of Filipinos in World War II, and more recently, the significant contributions of Filipino Americans on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. Looking to the future, President Biden and President Marcos express the utmost confidence that the special ties between their nations and their people will only grow stronger with time, as the United States and the Philippines continue to realize their shared vision of partnership, peace, and prosperity.

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President Marcos’ April 2024 U.S. Visit: Key Takeaways

On April 10-14, 2024, Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr embarked on a working visit to the United S tates. While the trip was his fourth to the United States since assuming office in 2022, it was arguably the most impactful yet. Indeed, President Marcos traveled to Washington to attend the inaugural Japan-Philippines-U.S. trilateral summit . The historic meeting occurred against the backdrop of China’s increasing assertiveness in the region’s potential flashpoints – Taiwan, the South China Sea, and the East China Sea.

In his remarks at the start of the trilateral summit, President Marcos said the meeting is “borne not out of convenience nor of expediency, but as a natural progression of a deepening relations and robust cooperation amongst our three nations.” Beyond the powerful optics of the summit, the following are the key takeaways from the visit.

First, there is a real convergence of interests among the three countries. China and the broader question of peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region loomed large over the summit. In their Joint Vision Statement, President Marcos, Prime Minister Kishida, and President Biden stressed their “serious concerns about the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) dangerous and aggressive behavior in the South China Sea.” The three leaders also expressed their “strong opposition to any attempts by the PRC to unilaterally change the status quo by force or coercion in the East China Sea,” as well as underscored the “importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait as an indispensable element of global security and prosperity.”

The convergence of these strategic interests were on display when the three countries and Australia conducted Maritime Cooperative Activity (MCA) just days before the trilateral summit. Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez also announced that the proposed Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) between Manila and Tokyo may be signed before 2024 ends. Should the RAA be signed, it will be third similar agreement that the Philippines will have, with Manila having Visiting Forces Agreements with both Washington and Canberra . RAA will provide the legal framework for the Japanese Self Defense Forces (JSDF) to, among others, conduct exercises with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). Indeed, this will provide another avenue for Manila to work alongside allies and partners amidst shared regional security challenges.

However, while there are similarities in the strategic interests of the three countries, there are also nuances in those interests. The three countries have a shared interest in ensuring that the China does not dominate the island chains in the Pacific. However, when examined closely, there are different degrees of emphasis on those interests, particularly for Manila and Washington. Indeed, the primary focus for the United States is freedom of navigation and overflight, while the Philippine interests are largely shaped around territorial integrity and maritime rights. In the case of Taiwan, there are also subtle differences in their respective One-China policy. As I have argued elsewhere , these subtle differences of interests could shape the policy complexities of both countries in the long run.

Second, the economic dimension of the partnership is crucial. The trilateral summit launched Luzon Economic Corridor initiative as part of the G7 Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGI). As the first PGI initiative in the Indo-Pacific region, the Luzon Economic Corridor aims to support connectivity among Subic Bay, Clark, Manila, and Batangas in the Philippines. The three countries expressed their commitment “to accelerating coordinated investments in high-impact infrastructure projects, including rail; ports modernization; clean energy and semiconductor supply chains and deployments; agribusiness; and civilian port upgrades at Subic Bay.” Another trilateral event will be held at the sidelines of the Indo-Pacific Business Forum – to be held in Manila in May – that will promote the Luzon Economic Corridor.

Tokyo and Washington also announced their intention “to provide at least $8 million for Open Radio Access Network (RAN) field trials and the Asia Open RAN Academy based in Manila, to enable future commercial deployment and an open, interoperable, secure, reliable, and trusted information communications technology ecosystem in the Philippines.” This is on top of $9 million of prior American and Japanese investments in similar areas for the Philippines. The three leaders also unveiled their intention to develop a new semiconductor workforce development initiative in order “to help secure…semiconductor supply chains.”

These initiatives have security implications for the Philippines. The economic dimension is critical to ensure that that while Washington and Tokyo support Manila in the South China Sea, there are tangible signs of cooperation for the benefit of the Philippine public. Indeed, the administration of former Philippine President Rodrigo R. Duterte sought closer geopolitical confluence with Beijing and downscale the alliance with Washington with the hope of gaining more Chinese investments in the Philippines. Some former Philippine government officials continue to argue that a stronger stance against Beijing risks Chinese investment opportunities in the country – even though China largely failed to deliver on many of its economic commitments during Duterte’s presidency. Hence, there is a strong imperative for Tokyo, and Washington to deliver on their economic commitments to show that they produce results, and to effectively undercut the argument of pro-China elements in the Philippines.

The areas which the Luzon Economic Corridor seek to promote greater connectivity are important for Philippine national security and economic prosperity. While Metro Manila is the country’s political and economic core, as well as the location of the defense and diplomatic establishments, Batangas is host to the Philippine Air Force Education, Training, and Doctrine Command and a light industry and science park. Clark and Subic are previously the sites of the two largest U.S. military bases in the region and are now freeports and special economic zones.

Beijing is not incognizant of the significance of these areas to the Philippines and they have therefore been the sites of China’s influence operations in the country. Indeed, some of China’s major offshore gaming operations in the Philippines, which contributed to the influx of Chinese nationals in the country , have been setup near military camps . China has also been purchasing properties not only in Metro Manila , but also reportedly in the provinces of Pampanga and Zambales , where Clark and Subic are located respectively. China also sought to takeover a shipyard in Subic Bay shipyard until it was acquired by a U.S. firm. Indeed, there are political-security dimensions to economic initiatives. During the Duterte administration, Manila signed deals worth $ 3 billion to establish an energy complex in Batangas. The Duterte government also authorized the construction of Chinese cell towers inside some Philippine military installations. Thus, in the era of major power competition, it is important for Japan and the United States to provide alternatives to Chinese economic investments. Otherwise, the Philippines could potentially be more vulnerable to Chinese economic coercion.

Third, progress was achieved in the further institutionalization of alliance management. While media attention was focused on the trilateral summit, another historic event took place: the joint meeting of foreign and defense ministers, and national security advisers of the Philippines and the United States. During the inaugural 3+3 meeting , the leaders “discussed ways to deepen coordination regarding shared challenges in the [South China Sea], including repeated harassment of lawful Philippine operations by the [PRC].” Together with other existing platforms, the 3+3 dialogue is another effort to strengthen the management of the alliance. Further institutionalizing the alliance below the level of the top leadership is critical especially in the context of domestic political transitions. As was seen during the Duterte administration, the institutional ties between Manila and Washington played a crucial role in ensuring that the alliance remains intact amidst the efforts of a populist firebrand to upend long-standing Philippine foreign policy.

As expected, China blasted the trilateral summit, and criticized the Philippines for “seeking backing from non-regional countries as they infringe on China’s sovereignty and rights and make provocations at sea.”  China earlier accused the United States of using the Philippines as a “pawn a pawn to stir up trouble in the South China Sea.” In short, Beijing is effectively saying the Manila does not have any agency. However, such accusations discount the fact the Philippines has legitimate national interests which happen to compatible with the interests of like-minded countries. In other words, President Marcos’ historic trip to Washington and the initiatives stemming from the visit is a state’s exercise of agency amidst the complexity of the regional security environment.

Mico A. Galang is a member of the Young Leaders Program, Pacific Forum (Hawaii, United States). His research interests include the international relations of the Indo-Pacific, territorial and maritime disputes, and Philippine foreign and security policies. The views expressed are the author’s alone.

• Misinformation & Disinformation

Philippines Says ‘Foreign Actor’ Behind Deepfake of Marcos Urging Combat With China

A “foreign actor” is likely behind deepfake content that made Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. sound like he’s urging military action against China, according to his communications office.

The government is investigating the spread of the manipulated video and will file cases against those responsible, the communications office said in a statement Friday . The deepfakes “seemingly asking the Armed Forces to act against another nation” have since been taken down, the office said, without mentioning China.

Read More: China Is Using AI to Sow Disinformation and Stoke Discord Across Asia and the U.S., Microsoft Reports

The fake content circulated this month amid mounting tensions between the Philippines and China on their overlapping claims in the South China Sea . Marcos had repeatedly said he’s not trying to provoke Beijing as his nation asserts its rights and sends ships to disputed waters where encounters with China have become more frequent.

A local media report said the deepfakes portrayed the Philippine leader to be calling for the use of force to retaliate against China. His communications office flagged the manipulated content earlier this week, and said there’s no such directive from the president.

The Marcos deepfakes show how nations around the world from the U.S. to India are grappling with manipulated online content attempting to influence politics as artificial intelligence takes off.

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Marcos to make China state visit, his first outside ASEAN, in January 2023

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This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

OFFICIAL VISIT. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. arrives in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, to participate in the 40th and 41st ASEAN Summits from November 10–13, 2022.

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr will be flying to China for a state visit in early January 2023, the Office of the Press Secretary announced on Friday, November 11. 

Marcos’ state visit to China is set from January 3 to 6, 2023. Made at the invitation of the host country, a state visit is the most important trip a leader can make, as opposed to an official or a working visit.

The announcement came as ASEAN leaders, including Marcos, dialogue with China during the ASEAN-China Summit in Phnom Penh. Marcos is currently in Cambodia for the 40th and 41st ASEAN and Related Summits.

This would be Marcos’ first state visit outside of Southeast Asia, although it is his third such trip as head of state. For his first state visits, he chose Indonesia and Singapore in September this year, following a tradition that Philippine presidents would visit Southeast Asian countries for their overseas trips.

China’s decision to invite Marcos for a state visit, and Marcos’ decision to prioritize it, indicates the level of importance the two countries place on their relationship.

Marcos had earlier told media on board PR001 en route to Phnom Penh that he plans to bring up issues surrounding the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) should he speak to Chinese President Xi Jinping. He did not say when the meeting would happen, but foreign affairs officials hinted that it might happen before the year ends. 

Xi is not in Cambodia for the ASEAN summit but is expected to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Bangkok, which Marcos will also participate in. The APEC summit days after the ASEAN meet concludes. 

The Philippines and three other Southeast Asian nations have territorial disputes with China.  ASEAN and China signed in 2002 a declaration that would pave the way to a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea. Consensus has yet to be reached two decades later. 

A plan to make a state visit to the United States, China’s rival in the Indo-Pacific, is also in the works.

In late-September, Marcos already flew to New York but for a working visit, not a state visit, in relation to the United Nations General Assembly. On the sidelines of this New York trip, Marcos held bilateral talk s with US President Joe Biden, where both leaders sought to rekindle their countries’ “critical” ties. – Rappler.com

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