On Monday, Joe Biden will receive his Philippine counterpart, Ferdinand Marcos, hoping to consolidate the rapprochement that began between the two countries, but the latter warned that his country would not turn into a “base” for launching any military action.
The US President will receive his guest at 18:30 GMT at the White House; To hold talks in the Oval Office, and their meeting, in the context of intense tensions with China, is preceded by short statements in the presence of the press.
A senior White House official announced, during a press conference, that the Philippine president’s visit comes at a “very important” moment.
“Our commitment to ensuring the security of the Philippines is firm,” said the senior official, who requested anonymity.
The Philippines and the United States have had a mutual defense treaty since 1951.
The official added that the Philippines, a former US colony, is “seeking reassurance” after “a series of Chinese provocations.”
On April 23, Chinese and Philippine boat boats nearly collided about 200 km from the Philippine island of Palawan.
This incident, which was witnessed by the “Agence France Presse” team, is the latest in a long series between the two countries that dispute the right to sovereignty over islands in the South China Sea.