The Philippines and the United States have reaffirmed their bilateral relations and agreed to strengthen cooperation during the first meeting between Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Washington on Thursday (Friday in Manila).
During the meeting, Cayetano and Pompeo tackled regional issues and ways to improve bilateral trade and security cooperation between two countries.
“Secretary Cayetano and Secretary Pompeo had an open and cordial interaction at the State Department today and we are optimistic this would reinforce the ties that bind the relations between our two countries and peoples,” Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez said in a statement.
In a statement released by the US State Department, Spokesperson Heather Nauert said Pompeo “reaffirmed the longstanding US-Philippines alliance and discussed ongoing efforts to address regional issues such as North Korea, the South China Sea, and counterterrorism.”
“Secretary Pompeo and Secretary Cayetano also explored opportunities to enhance bilateral trade, increase security cooperation, and strengthen people-to-people ties between our two countries,” Nauert added.
Romualdez revealed that Cayetano delivered a personal letter from President Rodrigo Duterte congratulating President Donald Trump for the successful summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un in Singapore on June 12.
“The Secretary told Secretary Pompeo the Philippines views the current developments in the Korean Peninsula with optimism and that the Philippines is hoping the positive momentum generated by the Singapore Summit will bode well for the broader Asia-Pacific region,” Romualdez stressed.
Romualdez said the two officials “underscored the importance both the Philippines and the United States place on their shared historical and people-to-people ties and the strength of their defense alliance.”
Cayetano, according to the statement, explained to Pompeo the Duterte administration’s independent foreign policy, and its positions on the South China Sea dispute and the Korean Peninsula.
Both Cayetano and Pompeo also expressed hope for another meeting between President Duterte and President Trump.
Duterte and Trump earlier met in November last year, when the Philippines hosted the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit and Related Summits.