PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. is eyeing a stronger partnership with the United States (US) to ensure the country’s “economic security” during his bilateral meeting in US with Joe Biden on Monday.
Marcos disclosed among the issues he will raise during the meeting are ways to boost the country’s “resilience” from economic threats such as global supply chain disruptions and economic coercion.
Other matters he will also discuss in the bilateral talks are food security, agricultural productivity development, and digital economy, energy security, climate change, and cybersecurity.
“Towards this end, one of my priorities for this visit is to push for greater economic engagement, particularly through trade and investment, and science, technology, and innovation cooperation, between the United States and the Philippines,” the president said in his departure speech at the Villamor Airbase in Pasay City on Sunday.
The President is scheduled to have his second face-to-face bilateral talk with Biden at the White House in Washington D.C. on May 1, 2023.
Both state leaders had their first live bilateral meeting in September in New York.
“My visit is an important one as they all are because they are part of our efforts to further reinforce our already strong bonds with the United States by bringing our alliance into the 21st century,” Marcos said.
Marcos will remain in the US until May 4 to meet with other American business leaders as well as with the Filipino community in the US.
Marcos pointed out among the industries where the country can have potential partnership with the US are semiconductor industry, critical minerals, renewable and clean energy, including nuclear, as well as digital telecommunication systems.
“The economic team and I shall be joined by key Filipino private sector leaders in exploring business opportunities that would serve to grow our economy even more,” the President said.
Image credits: PNA/Rolando Mailo