Marcos visiting U.S. Indo-Pacific Command

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will visit the United States Indo-Pacific Command headquarters in Hawaii, the Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed on Tuesday.

Before going to Honolulu, Marcos is expected to participate in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in San Francisco from 15 November to 17 November.

He will also have a working visit to Los Angeles from 17 November to 18 November.

In a briefing in Malacañang, DFA Undersecretary Charles Jose said Marcos was invited to the command headquarters, and the visit has been penciled in the President's schedule.

Jose said the President will also meet with the Honolulu Filipino community during his visit from 18 to 19 November.

He said the Chief Executive will have a roundtable discussion with former US Sen. Daniel K. Inouye of the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies.

The visit comes amid heightened tensions in the South China Sea, where the Philippines has been engaged in a long-running dispute with China over territory.

"I think the President will be focusing his visit to San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Honolulu in meeting with the Filipino community. I think that will be the main focus of his visits to these three American cities," Jose said.

He said the visit to the US Indo-Pacific Command headquarters is significant given the recent trilateral agreement between the Philippines, the United States and Japan.

"Well, of course, it adds a layer to the cooperation that we are trying to establish with like-minded states to promote what we have been advocating all along — a rules-based order, especially in the maritime areas," Jose said.

He said this is President Marcos' second time participating in the APEC Economic Leaders Meeting.

"For this year, the President is keen on pushing for financing a just, sustainable, and affordable energy transition through partnerships with the business sector," he said.

As of 2021, APEC member countries received over 60 percent of American exports, and seven of the top 10 trading partners of the United States were part of APEC.