🌏🇺🇸🇵🇭 Da Scoops on da U.S.-Philippines Alliance: Biden and Marcos Jr. Pau Talk Story 🤝

President Biden wen meet President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of da Philippines inside da White House on Monday, all part of one four-day U.S. visit by Mr. Marcos, wey dey mean say da bond between da two countries getting more tight. 🤝

Da two leaders been plan fo’ talk about how fo’ “uphold international law and promote one free and open Indo-Pacific,” according to one White House statement. Dis one dey show say dem dey worry more about China’s growing big head, plus fear of katakata over Taiwan, disputed seas, islands and shipping lanes. 🌏⚖️🌊

Da last president of da Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, been more soft with China and sometimes like fo’ cause wahala with da U.S. But Mr. Marcos, wey dem elect last year, don move closer to Washington. 🇵🇭🇨🇳🇺🇸

So, na da U.S. and da Philippines be pals, yeah? Da Philippines, wey be da oldest American treaty ally inside da Asia-Pacific region, long time been one strategic anchor fo’ American influence and military power inside da western Pacific. But da relationship get choke kine historic beef. 😬🤝

Inside da Spanish-American War of 1898, da U.S. wen win control of da Philippines from Spain, wey been rule da islands for long time. American forces den wen suppress one Filipino independence movement, in one war wey da U.S. mostly forget, but not da Philippines. 🇺🇸🇵🇭🇪🇸

Japan wen invade da islands inside World War II, and Americans and Filipinos wen fight together fo’ stop dat one. Da Philippines wen get independence in 1946, and in 1951 make one Mutual Defense Treaty with da U.S. 🌍🎖️🇯🇵

During da Cold War, da U.S. get two of its biggest overseas military bases inside da Philippines, Clark Air Base and Subic Bay Naval Base, wey both wen close in da 1990s. Da U.S. also wen support da 20-year rule of Ferdinand Marcos, da faddah of da current president. 🏭🛫🇺🇸

Da American military stay long time been one source of tension inside da Philippines, wey plenty people tink is one unwanted kine colonial leftover. But one 1999 agreement wen allow big kine military exercises by visiting forces and one 2014 agreement wen allow U.S. troops fo’ stay long time at five different spots across da Philippines. 🇵🇭👨‍✈️🇺🇸

Da relationship wen get worse under Mr. Duterte, wey wen move closer to China and inside his own country wen start one rough kine war on drugs wey get choke extrajudicial killings. Mr. Duterte wen threaten fo’ push back against da U.S. military, but in da end no do nothing. 🇵🇭🇨🇳💊

Since he wen take office 10 months ago, da younger Mr. Marcos wen try fo’ make da ties to da U.S. more strong. 🤝🇵🇭🇺🇸

Why dis meeting stay important? Da U.S. stay making its military position inside da Asia-Pacific region more strong to counter China’s military expansion dea and make contingency plans in case China invades Taiwan, da democratic island wey China claims as its own. 🇺🇸🇨🇳🇹🇼

American officials don identify da strategically located Philippines as critical fo’ fend off any potential conflict. Da country’s northern main island, Luzon, stay just 225 miles south of Taiwan. 🌏🎯🏝️

From their side, Philippine officials like da United States fo’ help dem deter China from using its military heft fo’ encroach on its disputed marine territory. Dat revival of ties don seem to step up in recent months. In February, Manila wen sign one new deal wey would allow Washington to increase American military presence, and Mr. Marcos personally attended da biggest joint military exercise between da two countries to date in April. 💪🇵🇭🇺🇸

Just two days ago, da United States wen accuse Beijing of harassing and intimidating Philippine security vessels. Da State Department wen call on China to “stop its provocative and unsafe conduct.” An armed attack on Philippine vessels or forces, da department warned, “would invoke U.S. mutual defense commitments.” ⛴️🇨🇳🇵🇭

What kine territorial disputes does da Philippines get with China? Da Philippines is among one group of Asian nations wey get longtime disputes with China over territory in da South China Sea, an area da size of Mexico wey encompasses busy trade routes, rich fishing waters and strategically important maritime zones. 🌊🇵🇭🇨🇳

Beijing don claim historic rights to plenty of da sea, stepping up its naval patrols; taking control of small kine reefs and islands wey da Philippines also claim; and building artificial islands and airfields and placing military outposts dea. Manila says dat Chinese naval patrols don harass and chase away Filipino military and fishing vessels. 🏝️🇨🇳🚢

In 2016, one international tribunal at The Hague rejected China’s claim over da sea and said it violated international law. But former President Duterte, wey don call diplomacy with Beijing one “delicate balancing act,” mostly demurred from pressing President Xi Jinping to comply with da ruling, warning dat his nation cannot afford trouble with China. 🌊⚖️🇨🇳🇵🇭

Dat stance has been at odds with da public opinion in da Philippines: Polling late last year showed dat 84 percent of Filipinos believed dat Mr. Marcos’s government should work with da United States to defend its sovereignty in da disputed waters. 🗳️🇵🇭🇺🇸

---

NOW IN ENGLISH

The Inside Story of the U.S.-Philippines Alliance: Biden and Marcos Jr. Have a Significant Meeting 🤝🌏🇺🇸🇵🇭

President Biden met with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of the Philippines at the White House on Monday. This was part of a four-day U.S. visit by Mr. Marcos, indicating that the bond between the two countries is strengthening. 🤝

The two leaders planned to discuss how to “uphold international law and promote a free and open Indo-Pacific,” according to a White House statement. This reflects increasing concerns about China’s growing dominance, and fears of conflict over Taiwan, disputed seas, islands, and shipping lanes. 🌏⚖️🌊

The previous president of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, had a softer approach with China and was sometimes more confrontational with the United States. Mr. Marcos, who was elected last year, has moved closer to Washington. 🇵🇭🇨🇳🇺🇸

So, are the U.S. and the Philippines allies? The Philippines, the oldest American treaty ally in the Asia-Pacific region, has long been a strategic cornerstone for American influence and military power in the western Pacific. But the relationship has a complicated history. 😬🤝

During the Spanish-American War of 1898, the U.S. took control of the Philippines from Spain, which had ruled the islands for centuries. American forces then suppressed a Filipino independence movement, in a war that is largely forgotten in the U.S., but not in the Philippines. 🇺🇸🇵🇭🇪🇸

Japan invaded the islands during World War II, and Americans and Filipinos fought together to end the occupation. The Philippines gained its independence in 1946, and in 1951 entered into a Mutual Defense Treaty with the U.S. 🌍🎖️🇯🇵

Throughout the Cold War, the U.S. had two of its largest overseas military installations in the Philippines, Clark Air Base and Subic Bay Naval Base, both of which closed in the 1990s. The U.S. also supported the 20-year rule of Ferdinand Marcos, the father of the current president. 🏭🛫🇺🇸

The American military presence has long been a source of tension in the Philippines, where many people see it as an unwelcome legacy of colonial rule. However, a 1999 agreement allowed for large-scale military exercises by visiting forces, and a 2014 agreement permitted extended stays by U.S. troops at five locations across the Philippines. 🇵🇭👨‍✈️🇺🇸

Relations worsened under Mr. Duterte, who leaned closer to China and domestically waged a brutal war on drugs that included many extrajudicial killings. Mr. Duterte threatened to push back against the U.S. military presence, but ultimately did not follow through on this. 🇵🇭🇨🇳💊

Since taking office 10 months ago, the younger Mr. Marcos has sought to strengthen ties with the United States. 🤝🇵🇭🇺🇸

Why is this meeting significant? The U.S. is bolstering its military position in the Asia-Pacific region to counter China’s military expansion and make contingency plans in case China invades Taiwan, a democratic island that China claims as its own. 🇺🇸🇨🇳🇹🇼

American officials have identified the strategically located Philippines as
critical to fend off any potential conflict. The country’s northern main island, Luzon, is situated just 225 miles south of Taiwan.

On their end, Philippine officials want the United States to help deter China from using its military might to encroach on its disputed marine territory. This revival of ties has seemed to intensify in recent months. In February, Manila signed a new deal that would allow Washington to increase American military presence, and Mr. Marcos personally attended the largest joint military exercise between the two countries to date in April. 💪🇵🇭🇺🇸

Just two days ago, the United States accused Beijing of harassing and intimidating Philippine security vessels. The State Department called on China to “cease its provocative and unsafe conduct.” An armed attack on Philippine vessels or forces, the department warned, “would trigger U.S. mutual defense commitments.” ⛴️🇨🇳🇵🇭

So, what territorial disputes does the Philippines have with China? The Philippines is among a group of Asian nations engaged in longstanding disputes with China over territory in the South China Sea, an area the size of Mexico that encompasses busy trade routes, rich fishing waters, and strategically important maritime zones. 🌊🇵🇭🇨🇳

Beijing has claimed historic rights to much of the sea, stepping up its naval patrols, seizing control of tiny reefs and islands also claimed by the Philippines, and building artificial islands and airfields and placing military outposts there. Manila says that Chinese naval patrols have harassed and chased away Filipino military and fishing vessels. 🏝️🇨🇳🚢

In 2016, an international tribunal at The Hague rejected China’s claim over the sea and said it violated international law. But former President Duterte, who has called diplomacy with Beijing a “delicate balancing act,” largely refrained from pressing President Xi Jinping to comply with the ruling, warning that his nation could not afford trouble with China. 🌊⚖️🇨🇳🇵🇭

That stance has been at odds with public opinion in the Philippines: Polling late last year showed that 84 percent of Filipinos believed that Mr. Marcos’s government should work with the United States to defend its sovereignty in the disputed waters. 🗳️🇵🇭🇺🇸