President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. (left) and US President Joe Biden (right) (File photos)
MANILA – President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is scheduled to meet US President Joe Biden on Thursday (Manila time) to discuss Philippine-US relations and other global issues.
Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles confirmed their scheduled meeting in a Facebook post.
“Sa unang pagkakataon, nakatakdang makipagkita at makipagpulong ang ating Pangulong Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos Jr. kay US President Joe Biden sa sidelines ng United Nations General Assembly sa Estados Unidos (For the first time, our President Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos Jr. is set to meet and hold a meeting with US President Joe Biden on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in the United States),” she said.
“Inaasahang matatalakay ng dalawang world leader ang pagpapatatag ng relasyong Pilipinas-US na nasa 76 na taon na ng kooperasyon, pagpapayabong ng kalakalan, pamumuhunan sa ating bansa, at iba pang isyu na kinakaharap ng mundo (The two world leaders are expected to discuss the strengthening of the Philippines-US relationship that has been in 76 years of cooperation, the development of trade, investment in our country, and other issues faced by the world),” she added.
Biden is scheduled to host a reception for all heads of state attending the UN forum on Thursday.
In July, Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez said Biden invited Marcos to Washington D.C. “when both their schedules would allow so.”
Marcos earlier said he was looking forward to meeting Biden in a meeting with the Filipino community in New Jersey on Monday.
He expressed hope that relations between the Philippines and US will be stronger in the near future.
Marcos also wooed American businesses to invest in the Philippines, assuring them that the country has a robust and resilient economy during the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) Business Forum on his second day in the US.
He also rang the closing bell of the NYSE, signaling the end of the day's trading.
The US is the Philippines’ third largest trading partner and second major source of foreign direct investments in 2021.
In his debut speech at the UNGA, Marcos expressed confidence that the Philippines would become a “moderately prosperous” country by 2040.
In a press briefing, the White House said Biden is “eager” to discuss with Marcos about a range of issues including the state of the global economy and how it is impacting the Philippines.
It said Biden and Marcos will also tackle how the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework can help collectively improve the rules of the road in the Indo-Pacific.
The two leaders will also be raising issues concerning the South China Sea, security relations between the US and Philippines, and the full breadth of issues in the alliance.
“It will be a good opportunity for a treaty ally of the United States with a new president who’s making his first trip to New York to have his first meeting with President Biden, who obviously has never had the opportunity to sit down with him before. So we’re really looking forward to that discussion,” it said.
Diplomatic relations between the Philippines and US were established in 1946.
The 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty, the longest-running defense pact, aims to step up the defense and security cooperation between Philippine and US troops. (PNA)
