Philippine President Kamala Harris, Ferdinand Marcus, meets Monday in Manila during a visit to the archipelago in Southeast Asia, aiming to strengthen relations between the two allies.
Harris is the highest American official has visited Manila since the election of Marcus in June. The visit comes within the framework of Washington’s efforts to show its commitment in the Asia Pacific region in which China’s influence expands.
Relations between the Philippines and the United States have been strained for years during the era of former President Rodrigo Duterte near Beijing.
Washington is seeking to strengthen its security alliance with Manila under the new presidency, amid the escalation of regional tensions.
This alliance includes a joint defense treaty and a reinforced defensive cooperation agreement dating back to 2014 and is known as EDCA and allows the American army to store defensive equipment and supplies in multiple Filipino bases.
Under this agreement, US forces can reach five military bases in the archipelago. The agreement remained suspended under the rule of Duterte, but the United States and the Philippines have pledged to accelerate its application in the face of China..
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