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Con res ~onaI Ftesear h Service
drib in I Ie~i I lived ta e c. 1914
Updated June 1, 2023
The Philippines
Overview and Recent Developments
The United States and the Republic of the Philippines
maintain a deep relationship that includes a bilateral
security alliance, extensive military cooperation, close
people-to-people ties, and many shared strategic and
economic interests. U.S. administration of the Philippines
as a colonial territory (1898-1946), which followed 300
years of Spanish rule, shaped the relationship. Situated east
of the South China Sea and south of Taiwan, the
Philippines has long played an important role in U.S. Asia
policy as a close security and counterterrorism partner. The
1951 Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) requires the two
countries to help defend each other against external armed
attack. The 1999 Visiting Forces Agreement governs the
legal status of U.S. military forces operating in the
Philippines. The Biden Administration has made
revitalizing U.S. alliances in Asia-including with the
Philippines-a key pillar of its Indo-Pacific Strategy.
The United States is the Philippines' third-largest trading
partner, after the People's Republic of China (PRC or
China) and Japan, and its largest export market. The
Philippines is one of 14 members of the Indo-Pacific
Economic Framework Initiative, which the Administration
launched in May 2022.
The Philippines at a Glance
Sources: Map, CR5; Other information, Central Intelligence Agency,
The World Factbook, 2023.
Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos Jr. was elected President of
the Philippines in 2022. Marcos's father, Ferdinand Marcos
Sr., ruled the country from 1965 to 1986, including through
martial law from 1972 until he was ousted by the 1986
People Power Revolution. Sara Duterte-Carpio, daughter of
former President Rodrigo Duterte, won the Vice
Presidency. The Philippine constitution limits both the
President and Vice President, who are elected on separate
tickets, to one six-year term.
In May 2023, President Joe Biden met with President
Marcos in Washington, DC. The two countries issued a
joint statement underscoring mutual commitments to bolster
defense cooperation; uphold freedom of navigation and
overflight in the South China Sea and respect for the
sovereign rights of states within their exclusive economic
zones [EEZs] consistent with international law; promote
bilateral trade and investment; and address climate change;
among others. During Marcos's visit, the two allies
established new Bilateral Defense Guidelines, which aim to
modernize Philippine defense capabilities, deepen
interoperability, enhance bilateral planning and
information-sharing, and combat transnational and non-
conventional threats. They broaden U.S. security
commitments under the MDT, stating they would apply to
armed third-party attacks against Philippine armed forces,
including the Coast Guard, aircraft, or public vessels
anywhere in the South China Sea.
Foreign Relations
The Philippines has long sought to balance its relations with
the United States and China. Manila has relied on the U.S.
alliance and security presence in the region, while seeking
greater trade and investment from the PRC, despite
numerous tensions between the Philippines and China.
Unlike former President Duterte, who had expressed
distrust in the United States and sought early in his term to
strengthen ties with the PRC, Marcos has reaffirmed the
importance of the U.S.-Philippines alliance, while seeking
to maintain a stable relationship with China.
In January 2023, Marcos went to Beijing and met PRC
leader Xi Jinping. The trip yielded PRC promises of loans,
infrastructure assistance, and other investments. The two
sides also agreed to resume talks on oil and gas exploration
in the South China Sea. According to reports, however, no
breakthroughs on major issues in the bilateral relationship
were achieved. In February 2023, Marcos visited Japan,
where discussions focused in part on further strengthening
security cooperation between the two countries, both of
which could be directly affected by a potential military
conflict between the PRC and Taiwan. The United States,
the Philippines, and Japan reportedly are exploring
trilateral modes of cooperation in the security sphere.
The Philippines is the largest recipient of U.S. military
assistance in the East Asia-Pacific region, including Foreign
Military Financing and assistance under the Department of
Defense's (DOD's) Indo-Pacific Maritime Security
Initiative. U.S. military and Armed Forces of the
Philippines (AFP) personnel conduct regular military
exercises and maritime patrols, collaborate on
counterterrorism, and carry out joint humanitarian
activities. In April 2023, over 17,000 U.S. and AFP soldiers
plus 100 Australian troops participated in Balikatan
(Shoulder-to-Shoulder), the alliance's premier annual
bilateral exercise, in the Philippines. Balikatan 2023](ViewImageLocal?handle=hein.crs/govelvr0001&div=1&collection=&method=preview&ext=.png&size=3)
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