U.S. sees early ‘challenges’ dealing with new Philippines administration

Kurt Campbell attends a China Growth Discussion board in Beijing, China March 23, 2019. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

WASHINGTON, Could 11 (Reuters) – The US is in search of early engagement with the newly elected administration of Ferdinand Marcos Jr. within the Philippines, though historic concerns imply there’ll in all probability be some preliminary challenges, the chief U.S. coverage maker for Asia mentioned on Wednesday.

“Time will inform, however our need will likely be to get off to a superb begin,” Kurt Campbell, the White Home coordinator for the Indo-Pacific mentioned of Marcos’s decisive victory on Monday within the Philippines’ presidential election.

“We’re in search of early engagement,” he mentioned. “There are some historic concerns that in all probability (imply), at the very least initially, there will likely be some challenges in that communication.”

The Philippines is a long-standing treaty ally of america, however the victory of Marcos – son and namesake of the nation’s former dictator – is a possible blow to U.S. efforts to push again in opposition to China, Washington’s most important strategic rival. learn extra

Marcos’s relationship with america has been difficult by a contempt-of-court order for his refusal to cooperate with the District Court docket of Hawaii, which in 1995 ordered the Marcos household to pay $2 billion of plundered wealth to victims of Marcos Sr.’s rule.

Marcos has not visited america for 15 years, scared of the implications of the rulings.

The U.S. State Division and Division of Justice didn’t reply to requests for touch upon Tuesday about whether or not Marcos could be granted diplomatic immunity if he visited, though attorneys and analysts say this is able to be customary.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken mentioned that america seemed ahead to working with Marcos to strengthen the “enduring alliance” between the 2 nations, describing it as a particular partnership rooted in a protracted and deeply interwoven historical past and shared values and pursuits.

“As buddies, companions, and allies, we’ll proceed to collaborate carefully with the Philippines to advertise respect for human rights and to advance a free and open, related, affluent, safe, and resilient Indo-Pacific area,” Blinken mentioned in an announcement.

On China, Marcos has long-standing ties with Beijing and is in search of a brand new take care of Chinese language ruler Xi Jinping over the contested waters of the strategic and resource-rich South China Sea.

Campbell, talking at an occasion on the U.S. Institute of Peace forward of President Joe Biden’s summit with Southeast Asian nations on Thursday and Friday, mentioned Washington would search continued shut partnership within the safety realm and to extend commerce and financial ties.

The Philippines won’t attend the summit on the chief stage as a consequence of its transition. learn extra

Campbell mentioned U.S. relations with outgoing Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte “actually rebounded” towards the tip of his time period, “at the very least on the strategic stage.”

“Our expectation is we’ll be capable of proceed to work carefully,” he mentioned.

Reporting by David Brunnstrom, Michael Martina and Simon Lewis; Enhancing by Mark Porter, David Gregorio, Bernadette Baum and Bernard Orr

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