Marcos, Kamala Harris tackle 'continued' PH-US economic, defense ties

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and United States Vice President Kamala Harris discussed Manila and Washington’s economic and defense cooperation during their meeting on Thursday (PH Time). 

This was confirmed by Philippine Ambassador to Washington Jose Manuel Romualdez. 

“Yes. Continued economic & defense cooperation,” Romualdez said in a Viber message when asked if the meeting pushed through.

According to the White House, Marcos and Harris reaffirmed the strength of the alliance between the United States and the Philippines and discussed ongoing efforts to deepen their security ties and expand commercial and economic cooperation. 

Further, the two officials reiterated their shared commitment to upholding international rules and norms, including in the South China Sea.

Marcos and Harris also discussed strengthening and broadening economic cooperation bilaterally through the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework. 

They also welcomed the conclusion of the 123 nuclear agreement that aims to deepen partnership in building a global clean energy economy and strengthen the shared commitment to improve energy security and advance the global nonproliferation regime.

Meanwhile, Harris disclosed a new partnership with the Philippine government to grow and diversify the global semiconductor ecosystem under the International Technology Security and Innovation (ITSI) Fund, created by the CHIPS Act of 2022.  The partnership will help create a more resilient, secure, and sustainable global semiconductor value chain.  

The White House said that this was the fifth meeting between Marcos and Harris. The previous meetings included the Vice President’s visit to Manila in November 2022; the Vice President hosting President Marcos at the Naval Observatory in May 2023; a bilateral meeting on the margins of the East Asia Summit in Jakarta in September 2023; and a trilateral meeting with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Jakarta in September 2023.  

Marcos is in San Francisco, California to participate in the 2023 APEC Summit. —VAL, GMA Integrated News