Chinese FM To Visit 21-23 Apr As Marcos Visit To US Announced

The Chinese Foreign Ministry has stated that State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang will visit the Philippines from April 21 to 23. This announcement comes shortly after the White House confirmed that Philippine President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. will visit the White House on 1 May for talks with US President Joe Biden on economic cooperation and the situation in the Indo-Pacific.

• In spite of a bombastic election campaign in 2022, Marcos has proved a more cooperative ally to the US than his strongman predecessor Rodrigo Duterte. The two countries have just held their largest-ever military drills, and the US has been provided access to four more military bases.
• This has raised tensions with China somewhat, with the two countries also in a long-running dispute over maritime borders in the South China Sea, which forms part of a key global shipping route.
• WH statement: "During the visit, President Biden will reaffirm the United States' ironclad commitment to the defense of the Philippines, and the leaders will discuss efforts to strengthen the longstanding U.S.-Philippines alliance,"
• Both China and the US are seeking greater influence in the Philippines, but Marcos has stated his preference for an 'independent foreign policy'. Meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing in January, Marcos stated,"I emphasised to President Xi how my administration intends to pursue an independent foreign policy, that we are more than willing to cooperate whenever possible in the pursuit of regional peace and our two countries' national interest".