(NewsNation) — President Donald Trump is set to meet with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday, with tariffs and security likely items on the agenda.
Marcos’ three-day visit shows the importance of the alliance between the treaty partners at a time when China is increasingly assertive in the South China Sea, where Manila and Beijing have clashed over the hotly contested Scarborough Shoal.
The visit also comes as the White House approaches a self-imposed deadline for new tariffs to go into effect. On Aug. 1, the Philippines would be subject to a 20% tariff as demanded by Trump unless the country can strike a deal.
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“I intend to convey to President Trump and his Cabinet officials that the Philippines is ready to negotiate a bilateral trade deal that will ensure strong, mutually beneficial and future-oriented collaborations that only the United States and the Philippines will be able to take advantage of,” Marcos said Sunday when he was departing for Washington, according to his office.
The Philippines is one of the oldest U.S. treaty allies in the Pacific, and Marcos is expected to reiterate the history of cooperation and the need for mutual defense cooperation in the South China Sea.
The South China Sea has been an area of territorial conflict as China has sought to exert more influence in the region, clashing with the Philippines and other nearby nations, including Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
