Marcos highlights improved US-Phl cooperation on WPS

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. told U.S. Cabinet Secretaries Antony Blinken and Lloyd Austin that the increased cooperation between Manila and Washington has led to more open lines of communication and tangible results in the West Philippine Sea.

Marcos made the remarks after he welcomed the two high-ranking officials in Malacañang on Tuesday for the first-ever two-plus-two meeting.

The meeting comes amid heightened tensions in the region, with China's aggressive actions in the West Philippine Sea drawing international condemnation. The Philippines has repeatedly asserted its sovereign rights over the disputed waters and has sought closer cooperation with allies and partners, including the United States.

"Welcome back to the Philippines and I'm always very happy that these communication lines are very open so that all the things that we are doing together, in terms of our alliance, in terms of the specific context of our situation here in the West Philippine Sea and in the Indo-Pacific are continuously examined and re-examined so we are agile in terms of our responses," Marcos said.

At the start of the meeting, Marcos said he was "a bit surprised" to see the two secretaries given how "interesting" the U.S. political situation has become.

The Chief Executive was referring to U.S. President Joe Biden ending his re-election campaign this month and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris to take on former President Donald Trump in a November election. Blinken offered Marcos greetings from Harris, as well as from Biden.

"It's I think really evidence of a steady drumbeat, a very high-level engagements between our countries that are covering the full range of issues and opportunities that bring us together, not only security but also economic, and we're truly grateful for this partnership," Blinken told Marcos.

"We look forward to a very good day with our colleagues and to further advancing the critical work that we're doing together," Marcos said.

Austin, for his part, described the Philippines and the US as "more than allies, we're family."

He praised the progress made in strengthening the alliance over the past three and a half years and expressed optimism for further deepening the partnership.

"But thanks for your leadership, Mr. President. Again, it's been a great three and a half years and I look forward to another three and a half or another four in building --- strengthening this relationship. So, thanks," Austin said.

The Philippines has conflicting territorial claims with China over the waters to its west, known as the South China Sea. China asserts sovereignty over 90 percent of this sea.

State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller mentioned that Blinken and Austin discussed their "shared commitment to upholding international law in the South China Sea" with Marcos.

"The two secretaries underscored the United States’ ironclad commitments to the Philippines under our Mutual Defence Treaty," Miller said in a statement following the meeting.