Washington: U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo spearheads a presidential trade and investment mission to the Philippines commencing Monday, underscoring America’s commitment to bolstering economic alliances across the region.
During the visit on Monday and Tuesday, Raimondo aims to highlight the Philippines as a pivotal center for regional supply chains and investment, aligning with the U.S. Indo-Pacific Strategy. Subsequently, she will embark on a two-day trip to Thailand for meetings as part of a presidential export council mission.
In an interview, Raimondo emphasized the dynamic nature of the Indo-Pacific economies, stating, “We want to deepen our economic engagement in the Indo-Pacific…our economic and commercial ties in the Indo-Pacific.”
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Under President Joe Biden and his Philippine counterpart Ferdinand Marcos Jr, security collaborations between the two nations have intensified, driven by shared concerns over China’s assertive actions in the South China Sea and near Taiwan.
Addressing speculations, Raimondo clarified the U.S. stance, asserting, “Absolutely not – but we want the United States to be the economic partner of choice.” She emphasized the significance of consistent engagement and collaboration to reinforce this partnership.
Raimondo’s previous visit to China in August involved discussions with Chinese leaders regarding U.S. firms’ interest in conducting business in China.
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The U.S. delegation to the Philippines comprises executives from 22 companies, including United Airlines, Alphabet’s Google, Black & Veatch, Visa, EchoStar/DISH, United Parcel Service (UPS), Boston Consulting Group, KKR Asia Pacific, Bechtel, FedEx, Mastercard, and Microsoft, as announced by the White House.
United Airlines recently announced plans to launch new flights from Tokyo-Narita to Cebu, Philippines, starting July 31. Raimondo expressed optimism for potential U.S. investment announcements during the visit and anticipates laying the groundwork for future commercial endeavors through discussions this week.
