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MAY 02, 2023
Readout of Vice President Harris’s Meeting with
President Marcos of the Philippines
BRIEFING ROOM
STATEMENTS AND RELEASES
Today, Vice President Kamala Harris met with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. at the Vice President’s Residence in advance of a brunch with President Marcos, the Second Gentleman, First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos, U.S. and Philippine government officials, and representatives of the Filipino-American community, including business and civic leaders. This meeting built on the Vice President’s meeting with President Marcos in Manila in November 2022.
The Vice President reaffirmed the strength of the alliance between the United States and the Philippines and emphasized the importance of further expanding our security, economic, and people-to-people ties. Following on their discussions in Manila, the Vice President welcomed President Marcos’ announcement of four new sites pursuant to the U.S. Philippines Enhanced Defense Cooperation agreement, which will enhance the Philippines’ security and drive investment to local communities. The Vice President also reiterated the United States commitment to upholding international rules and norms, including in the South China Sea, and reiterated the United States commitment to the defense of the Philippines under Article IV of the 1951 U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty. Building on the Vice President’s visit to Palawan, where she launched new initiatives to support Philippine maritime law enforcement agencies, the Vice President and President Marcos discussed strengthening our Coast Guard partnership and U.S.-Philippine maritime cooperation.
The Vice President and President Marcos also discussed strengthening the U.S.-Philippines economic partnership and noted President Biden’s plan to dispatch a Presidential Trade and Investment Mission to the Philippines to grow investment between our countries.
The Vice President also emphasized our commitment to the rule of law and respect for human rights, including labor rights, freedom of expression and the press, and other democratic principles and the importance of these areas for the U.S.-Philippines partnership.
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MAY 02, 2023
Remarks by Vice President Harris and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of the Philippines at Arrival Greet
Vice President’s Residence
United States Naval Observatory
Washington, D.C.
VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS: Mr. President, welcome to our home. Madam First Lady, it is good to see you again. Of course, you gave such a warm welcome during my visit in November of last year. And the Second Gentleman was honored to be with you for your inauguration.
And I know the President and you had a very —
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Yes.
VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS: — meaningful and good meeting yesterday, and I’m looking forward to our time together this morning.
But I want to thank you, because the strength of the alliance between the United States and the Philippines is probably stronger than ever.
Under your leadership, we have been able to continue to do the work that we have that is a priority around our mutual prosperity and security.
During my visit to the Philippines, we discussed many issues, including the importance of a clean energy economy. You and I share a passion for that —
PRESIDENT MARCOS: That’s right.
VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS: — as well as issues that relate to food security and what we must do around digital inclusion.
And on the issue of security, of course, the work that our countries are doing together as it relates to the South China Sea, as it relates to what we must do in terms of continuing to work together through our coast guards.
I was honored to go to Palawan. And I went there after you and I met.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: That’s right. Yes.
VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS: And met with the fishers there and met with the Coast Guard, which the U.S. and the Philippines — our coast guards are working together —
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Are working together very closely.
VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS: — in that region, very closely.
So, again, welcome. Welcome. And it’s good to see you both.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Thank you, Madam Vice President. And I can say that the — the visit — this visit of ours to the United States to see President Biden and yourself — you laid the groundwork for it, really. Mr. Emhoff was also part of the process. And I think that has given us the very — very — very attractive opportunity to continue to strengthen the relationship between our two countries in the face, in the context of all of the difficulties and complexities, the rising tensions in our region and the world.
And, once again, we turn to our American partners. You are our only treaty partners —
VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS: Yes, of course.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: — in the world.
VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS: Yes. Yes.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: It is natural, after all the different cycles of — like as in any friendship is — but I was telling Secretary Blinken yesterday that, like any friendship, they go through — you go through many cycles. And I think this is an upside in that cycle.
And we’re very, very happy to be here to get this opportunity to speak with you and to have spoken with your President.
So, thank you very much.
VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS: Welcome. Welcome. Yes, please come in.
Q Mr. President, how concerned are you with the continued provocation in the South China Sea — of China?
PRESIDENT MARCOS: I’m sorry?
Q How concerned are you with the continued provocation from China (inaudible)?
PRESIDENT MARCOS: As concerned as you can possibly be. It is one of the major issues that we have to face back home.
Q And do you believe cooperation with the Vice President and President Biden will get you closer to protecting the region?
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Well, cooperation with the United States certainly is something that we are building upon. That has been going on for many, many, many decades. And we just keep going.
END
MAY 01, 2023
Joint Statement of the Leaders of the
United States and the Philippines
STATEMENTS AND RELEASES
President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. is honored to welcome Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to Washington, DC. The leaders recognize the remarkable ties of friendship, community, and shared sacrifice that serve as the foundation of the U.S.-Philippines alliance.
President Biden and President Marcos welcome the historic momentum in U.S.-Philippine relations, and resolve to continue expanding engagement and cooperation on all issues of common concern. In efforts to promote inclusive and broad-based prosperity, invest in the clean energy transition and the fight against climate change, uphold international peace and stability, and ensure respect for human rights and the rule of law, the United States and the Philippines will remain the closest of allies, working together to deliver a better future for our citizens and tackle the emerging challenges of the twenty-first century.
Partnering for Peace and Security: Strengthening our Alliance, Upholding International Law, and Expanding Regional Collaboration
President Biden reaffirms the United States’ ironclad alliance commitments to the Philippines, underscoring that an armed attack on Philippine armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft in the Pacific, including in the South China Sea, would invoke U.S. mutual defense commitments under Article IV of the 1951 U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty.
The leaders welcome the identification of new sites pursuant to the U.S.-Philippines Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, which will strengthen Philippine security and support the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ modernization goals, while driving U.S. investment to local communities across the Philippines and improving our shared ability to rapidly deliver humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
The leaders underscore their unwavering commitment to freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea, and the importance of respecting the sovereign rights of states within their exclusive economic zones consistent with international law. The leaders support the right and ability of Filipino fisherfolk to pursue their traditional livelihoods. The leaders note the ruling of the 2016 arbitral tribunal, constituted pursuant to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). They affirm the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait as an indispensable element of global security and prosperity. The leaders convey support for Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, noting that the conflict has adversely affected food and energy security in the Indo-Pacific.
The leaders welcome cooperation with partners that share the United States’ and the Philippines’ commitment to international law and mutual respect, and in that spirit, they reaffirm their strong support for ASEAN centrality and the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific. They look forward to establishing trilateral modes of cooperation among the Philippines, Japan, and the United States, as well as the Philippines, Australia, and the United States. Furthermore, they welcome the Quad’s commitment to support a peaceful and stable, rules-based region with ASEAN at the center, through its efforts to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific.
Delivering Prosperity and Resilience: Driving Broad-Based Economic Growth, Accelerating the Clean Energy Transition, and Promoting the Well-Being of Our Citizens
President Biden and President Marcos resolve to draw on the strength of their partnership to promote enduring economic growth and prosperity in the United States, the Philippines, and the broader Indo-Pacific region. To that end, President Biden will dispatch a Presidential Trade and Investment Mission to the Philippines on his behalf, to enhance U.S. companies’ investment in the Philippines’ innovation economy, its clean energy transition and critical minerals sector, and the food security of its people. Furthermore, the leaders announce that the United States and the Philippines will co-host the 2024 Indo-Pacific Business Forum – the United States’ marquee commercial event in the region – in Manila, which will further establish the Philippines as a key hub for regional supply chains and high-quality investment. Additionally, the two countries will pursue engagements with stakeholders, including in the business and social sectors, regarding opportunities to enhance bilateral economic engagement in a manner that is worker-centered, sustainability-driven, fair, and transparent, focusing on sectors in which it is critical to develop resilient supply chains and in which significant and meaningful economic value-added and employment can be generated in the United States and the Philippines.
The leaders welcome their countries’ plans to prioritize bilateral economic cooperation through the U.S.-Philippines Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA). The leaders also applaud progress in developing the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, which will deliver concrete benefits to our workers, families, and businesses by promoting trade, supply chain resilience, clean economy development, and anti-corruption throughout the region. The two leaders look forward to seeing one another again in San Francisco this November for the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week, to advance sustainable and inclusive economic growth in the region.
Recognizing that the climate crisis poses an existential threat to the world, and the Philippines’ particular vulnerability to the effects of climate change, the leaders reaffirm they will undertake urgent action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. They resolve to expand collaboration on renewable energy production to accelerate the clean energy transition while bringing down energy costs and expanding energy access for families. The leaders hail progress in negotiating a U.S.-Philippines civil nuclear cooperation agreement (“123 agreement”). The United States and the Philippines will also pursue an ambitious program of cooperation on wind, solar, and geothermal energy, while enhancing cooperation on reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the waste, road, and shipping sectors.
The leaders further resolve to expand cooperation on environmental protections, including enhanced domain awareness, marine conservation, and protecting coastal areas from environmental degradation. Acknowledging the paramount significance of science and technology in propelling our countries forward, the leaders pledge to promote increased cooperation and knowledge sharing between the United States and the Philippines through the Science and Technology Agreement (STA), and they welcome U.S. plans to establish an Open-RAN Interoperability Lab in Manila. Recognizing the importance of enhancing and sustaining joint efforts in outer space activities, the leaders also welcome their countries’ plan to prioritize and strengthen bilateral space cooperation, including by convening their first bilateral Civil Space Dialogue this year.
The leaders underscore the importance of strong democratic institutions, rule of law, and respect for human rights, including freedom of expression, press, and association, and they note the importance of countering any form of violence in our societies, such as that against civil society, women, children, and marginalized groups. The leaders welcome the establishment of a bilateral Labor Working Group as part of the U.S.-Philippines TIFA, which will provide an important opportunity for the United States and the Philippines to work together on implementation of internationally recognized labor rights, and to facilitate exchange and dialogue among U.S. and Philippine governments and labor unions, as well as employer organizations.
The leaders recognize that the people-to-people ties between the two countries are an indispensable pillar of our partnership, manifested in their immense contributions to both the United States and the Philippines. The leaders note the service and sacrifice of Filipinos in World War II, and more recently, the significant contributions of Filipino Americans on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic.
MAY 01, 2023
Remarks by President Biden and
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of the Philippines Before
Oval Office
2:54 P.M. EDT
PRESIDENT BIDEN: Well, Mr. President, welcome back to the White House. We were talking on the way over. It’s been a while since you’ve been here.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Yes, sir.
PRESIDENT BIDEN: You were with — here with President Reagan, with your father. And we welcome you back.
And, you know, when we met in New York last year, you told me that — that a strong alliance has to continue, quote — I’m using your phrase — “to evolve as we face the challenges of this new century.” And we are facing new challenges. And I can’t think of any better partner to have than you.
I couldn’t agree more that we have to. This relationship has to continue to evolve. And together, we’re tackling climate change, we’re accelerating our countries’ transition to clean energy, and we’re standing up for our shared democratic values and workers’ rights and the rule of law.
And together, we’re deepening our economic cooperation, which is going to continue to deepen and I think is mutually beneficial.
And we’re going to announce that — we’re going to announce today that I’m sending a first-of-its-kind presidential trade and investment mission to the Philippines. We talked about that very briefly —
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Yes, sir.
PRESIDENT BIDEN: — up in New York.
And the United States also reminds [sic] ironclad in our — remains ironclad in our commitment to the defense of the Philippines, including the South China Sea, and we’re going to continue to support the Philippines’ military modernization goals.
Mr. President, our countries not only share a strong partnership, we share a deep friendship — one that has been enriched by millions of Filipino Americans in the communities all across the United States of America.
So, I want to thank you again for being here, and I look forward to our conversation today. And I invite you to make any comments you’d like. The floor is yours.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Thank you very much, Mr. President. And I — as you say, in the difficult times that we are facing ahead of us, I — we need to find many ways to strengthen our alliances and our partnerships in the face of the new economy that we are facing post-pandemic.
Beyond that, there is — there are also the issues — geopolitical issues that have made the region where the Philippines is possibly, arguably the most complicated geopolitical situation in — in the world right now.
And so, it is only natural that — for the Philippines to look to its sole treaty partner in the world to strengthen and to redefine the relationship that we have and the roles that we play in the face of those rising tensions that we see now around the South China Sea and Asia-Pacific and Indo-Pacific regions.
So, I welcome very much the opportunity to come here, to visit with you at the White House, and to discuss all these terribly important issues.
We have many things that — that are new that need to be assessed and, again, our role as partners in the world — in our worldview of what we are hoping for the future of peace, not only in the Asia-Pacific and Indo-Pacific region but in the whole world.
So, thank you once again for this opportunity, Mr. President.
PRESIDENT BIDEN: Thank you. And I’m optimistic things will get even better.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Thank you, sir.
PRESIDENT BIDEN: Thank you.
2:58 P.M. EDT
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