Kalayaan Hall, Malacañan Palace
July 30, 2024
“I’m always very happy that these communication lines are very open so that all the things that we are doing together, in terms of our alliance, in terms of the specific context of our situation here in the West Philippine Sea and in the Indo-Pacific are continuously examined and re-examined so we are agile in terms of our responses,” President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. stated when he received Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III of the United States of America (USA) in a courtesy call at the Kalayaan Hall, Malacañan Palace.
The two U.S. officials are in Manila to attend the 4th Philippines-U.S. Foreign and Defense Ministerial Dialogue (2+2 Dialogue) hosted by Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Enrique Manalo and Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr.
In response to President Marcos Jr., Secretary Blinken conveyed his appreciation for the warm welcome and relayed the greetings of U.S. President Joseph Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. He likewise expressed his deepest condolences to all the victims of the recent super typhoon and offered anything that the U.S. can do to be of assistance.
“I think today is genuinely historic. This is the first time that the Philippines has hosted our two-plus-two. It’s I think really evidence of a steady drumbeat, a very high-level engagements between our countries that are covering the full range of issues and opportunities that bring us together, not only security but also economic, and we’re truly grateful for this partnership,” he said.
For his part, Secretary Austin III also offered his condolences to those who have been affected by the recent super typhoon that severely flooded communities in Metro Manila and other parts of Luzon. He further stated that with the United States and the Philippines having common interests and values, he is looking forward to continuing the work to strengthen the alliance and move even further.
“But thanks for your leadership, Mr. President. Again, it’s been a great three and a half years and I look forward to another three and a half or another four in building — strengthening this relationship,” the U.S. Defense Secretary remarked.
According to a DFA press announcement on this year’s 2+2 Dialogue, DFA Secretary Manalo and DND Secretary Teodoro Jr., along with Secretary Blinken and Secretary Austin III, are set to engage on further enhancing the two nations’ commitment to the PH-U.S. alliance while enabling a common program in support of the rules-based international order, enhanced economic ties and broad-based prosperity, as well as solutions to evolving regional and global security challenges.
This visit followed the third iteration of the 2+2 Dialogue held in Washington, D.C. on April 2023 which concluded in a joint statement reaffirming full support for international law, modernizing shared defense capabilities of the alliance, advancing economic and environmental security, and cultivating the vibrant and robust people-to-people ties between the two countries.
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