When Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr sits down with US President Donald Trump for bilateral talks on Tuesday, his top priority will be to secure a trade deal while reinforcing Manila’s security alliance with Washington against Beijing.
Such a grand bargain, however, appears to be a long shot.
The Philippines has sought to link security and trade in a broader strategic package, but they have faced resistance from the Trump administration, which is reluctant to merge the two tracks, according to people familiar with the situation.
Trade negotiations have intensified since Trump threatened this month to impose additional tariffs of 20 per cent on Philippine imports if a deal is not completed by August 1. A team of negotiators from Manila flew to Washington last week ahead of Marcos’ arrival on Sunday.
A final agreement could be announced during the state visit, which concludes Tuesday and makes Marcos the first Southeast Asian leader invited to the White House during Trump’s second term.
