Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Junior left for a visit to the United States on Sunday, where he will meet his counterpart Joe Biden, to strengthen the alliance between the two countries in the midst of tensions with China.
The day before, Washington called on Beijing to end its “provocative and dangerous” action in the disputed waters of the South China Sea, where a collision was recently narrowly avoided between two Chinese and Philippine coast guard vessels.
Mr. Marcos’ plane took off from Manila in the early afternoon, according to the Philippine presidency.
“We will reaffirm our commitment to promote our long-standing alliance as an instrument of peace and as a catalyst for development in the Asia-Pacific region,” the Philippine head of state said before his departure.
He is due to meet Joe Biden on Monday, an interview Mr. Marcos described as “essential to advancing our national interests and strengthening this very important alliance”.
On April 23, Chinese and Filipino boats nearly collided about 200 km from the Philippine island of Palawan and more than a thousand kilometers from that of Hainan, the nearest Chinese land.
This incident, witnessed by an AFP team aboard another Philippine boat, is the latest in a long series.
Beijing claims almost all of the South China Sea, ignoring a 2016 international judgment that found its claims to have no legal basis.
Increased US military presence
China has redeveloped and militarized there, over the past ten years, thousands of hectares of reefs where landing strips, ports and radar systems have grown.
Since assuming the Philippine presidency last June, Ferdinand Marcos Junior has vowed that he will not let China encroach on his country’s maritime rights.
In this context, he seeks to improve relations with Washington, a long-time ally of Manila, damaged by his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte.
The Philippines and the United States completed their largest joint military maneuvers in the South China Sea in the middle of the week.
In recent months, these two countries have relaunched their joint maritime patrols in this maritime area and reached an agreement aimed at increasing the American military presence on Philippine soil.
Under the deal, the US military will be allowed to use four additional Philippine military bases, including naval facilities located not far from Taiwan, an island China considers part of its territory.