Rubio meets Marcos, Wang Yi in Manila as U.S. presses Asia diplomacy

State Department op-ed warns of ‘dire’ threats from Chinese control

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Manila on Wednesday, underscoring the Trump administration’s dual-track approach to the region: reaffirming security alliances against China’s maritime claims while keeping the door open for superpower cooperation on shared strategic interests.

Rubio’s meeting with Marcos, held on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations conference, was described by the State Department as a reaffirmation of the “ironclad alliance” between the two countries. Rubio spokesman Tommy Pigott said the pair discussed their “shared commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific” and confirmed that “there is no legal basis for China’s expansive maritime claims in the South China Sea.”

The meetings came days after the Philippine military accused Chinese coast guard personnel of striking and injuring a Philippine sailor in the disputed waters. China said the Philippine officers instigated the confrontation.

In his meeting with Wang Yi, Rubio struck a conciliatory tone. He thanked China for withholding support for Iran in the Strait of Hormuz standoff, a position the U.S. has sought for months. “Look, these are the two most powerful countries in the world,” Rubio told reporters. “It would frankly be reckless and irresponsible for the U.S. and China not to have a relationship.”

Rubio also said the countries were taking steps to establish boards of investment and trade, but did not mention President Donald Trump’s claims that China interfered in the 2020 U.S. presidential election. Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to visit the United States in September for a previously announced summit.

The public diplomacy stood in contrast to an opinion column the State Department placed in Philippine newspapers this week under Rubio’s name. “If those waters fall under the control of a power willing to use commerce as a geopolitical weapon, both the United States and the ASEAN states would face dire new threats to their sovereignty, security and economic futures,” Rubio wrote.

Outside the conference venue, police clashed with protesters who criticized U.S. involvement in regional conflicts and blamed the Trump administration for fueling tensions. Demonstrators held signs that said “U.S. out of everywhere!” and “War criminals not welcome! Ban Rubio! Ban Trump!”

Rubio’s visit to Manila is part of a broader push through Asia this year as the U.S. bolsters its military footprint in the Philippines, including plans announced in February to deploy additional missile launchers. China claims most of the South China Sea, including areas that fall within the exclusive economic zones of other countries including the Philippines.