Biden to Meet Marcos in Washington as Tensions Grow With China
WASHINGTON — President Biden will meet with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. of the Philippines at the White House on Monday, a visit that is meant to send a message to China that the Filipino leader plans to deepen his country’s relationship with the United States.
Mr. Marcos’s trip comes days after the U.S. and Philippine militaries held joint exercises aimed at curbing China’s influence in the South China Sea and strengthening the United States’ ability to defend Taiwan if China invades. The exercises were part of a rapid and intensifying effort between the two countries: In February, the Pentagon announced that the U.S. military would expand its presence in the Philippines.
The trip is the Biden administration’s latest push to bolster its relationships with key Asian allies as tensions with China rise. Mr. Biden welcomed President Yoon Suk Yeol of South Korea for a state visit last week with discussions largely focused on deterring the missile program in North Korea, whose leader has grown more emboldened by a supportive China.
The strategic importance of the Philippines is a matter of proximity. Its northernmost island of Itbayat is less than 100 miles from Taiwan, and an increased U.S. military presence could allow for a quick troop response in a war with China. For the United States, Mr. Marcos is an eager but untested partner.
Source: The New York Times
