Marco Rubio arrives for Asean Foreign Ministers’ Meeting

MANILA, Philippines — United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in the Philippines on Tuesday to attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.

America’s top diplomat was welcomed by US Ambassador to the Philippines Lee Lipton and US Ambassador to Asean Kevin Kim upon arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City.

Besides the meeting with Southeast Asian Nations, Rubio is also set to attend the East Asia Summit in Manila.

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“Just landed in Manila, Philippines to attend meetings with ASEAN leaders and the East Asia Summit,” said Rubio in his post on X.

When asked on Sunday before heading for the Asean meeting if he was open to having a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Russia’s Sergei Lavrov, he said: “We’d be open to meeting with them.”

He added that there could also be a bilateral meeting with QUAD, composed of India, Japan, Australia, and the United States, during his visit in Manila.

Meanwhile, following the recent clash between the Philippine Navy and the Chinese Coast Guard, Washington on Monday slammed Beijing for its “dangerous and aggressive” actions after injuring a Filipino sailor at Second Thomas Shoal.

Tensions between the US and Iran, Myanmar’s future, as well as maritime tensions with China are likely to be tackled in the diplomatic gathering.

The Manila visit is Rubio’s first time as Secretary of State as regional allies battle economic restraints after the resumed US-Iran war. — Geneson Satsatin/INQUIRER.net Trainee /mr