PH, US affirm robust ties
Duterte: We are your ally. We are an important ally Trump: We’ve had a great relationship. This has been very successful
United States President Donald Trump on Monday reaffirmed the good and long-standing relationship between the Philippines and the US while stressing that he is enjoying his three-day stay in the country so far.
The US leader also said he had a “great relationship” with his Philippine counterpart, President Duterte.
Philippine presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the two leaders reaffirmed the very close ties between the Philippines and the US during a frank conversation for at least 40 minutes during their bilateral
meeting at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City.
“We are your ally. We are an important ally,” Duterte told Trump at the beginning of their talks, according to reporters allowed into the meeting room.
Trump replied: “We’ve had a great relationship. This has been very successful. And the ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) conference has been handled beautifully by the President in the Philippines.”
“President Trump specifically said that he has always been a friend of the Duterte administration unlike the previous administrations of the United States,” Roque said.
“But he [Trump] stressed that he can be counted upon as a friend of the Duterte administration,” he added.
When a reporter asked Trump if he would raise human rights at the meeting, Duterte said: “Whoa, whoa. This is not a press statement. This is the bilateral meeting.”
Roque later said human rights were not raised.
“The issue of human rights did not arise, it was not brought up. It was President Duterte who discussed with US President Trump the drug menace in the Philippines,” Roque said.
“The US President appeared sympathetic and did not have any official position on the matter. He was merely nodding his head, indicating that he understood the domestic problem that we face on drugs,” he added.
But White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said human rights got a brief mention when the two leaders met on the sidelines of an ASEAN Summit.
“The conversation focused on ISIS (Islamic State), illegal drugs, and trade. Human rights briefly came up in the context of the Philippines’ fight against illegal drugs,” said Sanders.
Duterte thanked Trump and the Americans on the assistance they extended, particularly on the area of communication, during the Marawi conflict. Discussions on trade Aside from the close Philippines-US ties and the issue on drugs, Duterte and Trump also had a discussion on trade.
“The Philippines expressed a view that they’re appreciative of the general system of preference, and suggested that free trade agreement (FTA) also be concluded between the US and the Philippines,” Roque said.
Roque said this was because the FTA is concluded by America with Vietnam and Japan who have not always been the allies of the United States.
“President Trump said they will study the matter,” Roque said.
The United States is the Philippines third largest trading partner after China and Japan, according to Office of the United States Trade Representative.
Roque said that the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry was also observed during the meeting and how it has become very important in the Philippines.
The Palace official said that both countries will probably think of a way to reduce the trade deficit between the Philippines and the United States.
“The Philippines, according to the US, has a trade deficit with China and they will work out something to reduce the deficit of trade, and at the same time improving trade relations with the United States,”Roque said.
According to the United States Census Bureau, as of September, 2017, the US has imported a total of US$8.656 billion worth of goods from the Philippines while it has exported US$6.087 billion worth of goods to the Philippines, marking a deficit of deficit of -US$2.569.
Tariff on US automobiles Roque said that President Trump also singled out the issue on tariffs being imposed on US automobiles while these tariffs were not being imposed on Japanese cars.
According to the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) website, the Philippines continues to apply high tariffs on finished automobiles and motorcycles, including a 30percent tariff on passenger cars; tariffs of 20 percent to 30 percent on vehicles for the transport of goods; and tariffs of 15 percent to 20 percent on vehicles for the transport of persons, depending on vehicle weight.
“ASEAN countries and Japan enjoy preferential import tariffs on new vehicle imports under the ASEAN Free Trade Agreement and the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement, respectively,” the USTR said.
“The Philippines continues to extend zero duty treatment on importation of capital equipment, spare parts, and accessories by motor vehicle manufacturers and other enterprises registered under the Board of Investments (BOI),” he added.
Duterte hailed
In his short statement to media, Trump recognized the robust relationship between the Philippines and the United States and thanked Duterte for the warm welcome.
“The ASEAN conferences have been handled beautifully by the President of the Philippines and your representatives,” he added.
According to Trump, he very much enjoyed the ASEAN 50th anniversary special gala dinner that Duterte hosted Sunday evening and noted of the talent that was presented to him and the other world leaders.
“We very much appreciate the great treatment that you have given. I thought last night’s event was fantastic,” he said.
“Tremendous talent. Most of them [the performers], I guess, [are] from the Philippines. Tremendous talent – musical talent, dance talent. We really had a tremendous time, all of the leaders,” he added.
“So in behalf, I think, of the leaders and everybody, I want to thank you and I want to thank the Philippines,” he continued.
“Thank you very much. I enjoy being here,” he said.
Duterte and Trump sat next to each other during the said Gala dinner.
Duterte has been very fond of Trump, commending the US leader for not criticizing his drug war for the alleged cases of extrajudicial killings (EJKs) and human rights violations.
Duterte’s meeting with Trump in Manila is their first official meeting since they won their respective countries’ elections last year. They had an informal conversation during the 2017 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Da Nang, Vietnam Saturday night.