Top US diplomat Rubio meets Marcos on sidelines of ASEAN meetings

MANILA, Philippines — United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio made a courtesy call on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in Malacañang on Wednesday, July 22, on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) ministerial meetings.

Rubio is in the country for a five-day visit to attend the ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference, the East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers' Meeting and the ASEAN Regional Forum Foreign Ministers' Meeting.

The US Secretary of State delivered a message at the Foreign Ministers' Meeting, where he discussed cooperation, economic partnerships and diplomatic engagement between the United States and Southeast Asian countries.

“As President [Donald] Trump stated last year at the leaders meeting, the US-ASEAN, at the summit, we’re with ASEAN 100 percent,” Rubio said.

US-ASEAN partnership

During the Foreign Ministers' Meeting, Rubio announced that the United States government will provide US$2.5 billion in strategic investments in Southeast Asia.

“We’re investing because the development of ASEAN is also in the interest of the United States,” Rubio said.

The US will also provide about US$130 million in assistance to ASEAN countries for demining, or the systematic removal and destruction of landmines and unexploded ordnance, as part of its security support for the region to help ensure the safety of its citizens.

Rubio also cited the recent approval by the Development Finance Corp., the US government agency that invests in development projects in lower- and middle-income countries, of US$1.5 billion in strategic investments to advance aviation infrastructure, energy security and secure supply chains.

After discussing the US government's position on the conflict between Israel and Iran in West Asia, Rubio said the US will not abandon its cooperation with Southeast Asian countries despite having highly strained bilateral relations with other major powers.

“That will never come at the expense of our alliances, it will never come at the expense of our partners, and it will never come at the expense of our national interest,” Rubio added.

'Not welcome'

Anti-imperialist groups staged a protest near the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay, where Rubio attended the Foreign Ministers' Meeting, to oppose his visit to the country and denounce the Pax Silica initiative.

Two photojournalists covering the rally, former Associated Press editor Bullit Marquez and The Manila Times' Rene Dilan, were nearly arrested by police after tensions broke out.

In a statement, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan said Rubio was not welcome and described him as a "warmonger and an agent of imperialist aggression and terrorism."

“Rubio is among those directly responsible for designing and executing US policies that escalate military tensions across the region, deliberately dragging the Filipino people into the crossfire of destructive inter-imperialist conflicts just to maintain Washington’s global hegemony,” BAYAN’s statement read.

According to a STAR report, Philippine Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez said Marcos and Rubio discussed Pax Silica during their meeting.

“He’s very pleased that it’s moving quickly and that it will definitely help the Philippine economy,” Romualdez said.