US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman is expected to visit the Philippines this month purportedly to meet President-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
The US Department of State said Sherman will travel to Korea, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Laos from June 5 to 14.
Besides meeting with Marcos, Sherman will also meet senior officials of the incoming and outgoing administrations to discuss new measures to strengthen the bilateral relations between Washington and Manila.
On May 23, Marcos met with US Charges d’ Affaires Heather Variava and discussed the possible extension and redefinition of the Visiting Forces Agreement, along with other issues, such as security issues.
Meanwhile, Marcos received ambassadors from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations during a courtesy call Monday at his headquarters in Mandaluyong City.
Those present were Brunei Darussalam Ambassador to the Philippines Johariah Wahab, Cambodia Ambassador Phan Peuv, Indonesia Ambassador Agus Widjojo, and Lao People’s Democratic Republic Ambassador Songkane Luangmuninthone.
Also present were Singapore Ambassador Gerard Ho, Thailand Chargé d’affaires Thawat Sumitmor, and Vietnam Ambassador Hoang Huy Chung.
Also paying a courtesy call to the President-elect was Ambassador Marcos Clemente of Italy.
Meanwhile, the Chinese embassy in Manila said China intends to keep its “good relations” with the Philippines under the new administration.
In an online conference, Chinese Embassy Counsellor Xie Yonghui recounted a May 18 phone conversation between Marcos and Chinese President
Xi Jinping, who urged both countries to “carry forward the friendship of the two sides and stay true to their original aspirations.”
“President Xi stressed that both countries should carry forward the friendship of the two sides and stay true to their original aspirations. The two countries should also grasp the general trend, write a grand story on the China-Philippines friendship in the new era and follow through the blueprint for bilateral friendly relations, so as to usher in an even higher, brighter future for the bilateral ties,” Xie said. With Mervin Vince Lopez
Marcos, Xie said, also expressed readiness to strengthen exchanges in various fields and make Philippine-China relations “a foreign policy priority.” With Mervin Vince Lopez
