The Philippines’ Ambassador to the U.S. Jose Manuel Gallego Romualdez poses at his nation’s embassy in Washington, D.C. on Could 12, 2025.
Elizabeth Gillis/NPR
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Elizabeth Gillis/NPR
The waters across the Philippines are abuzz with ships from two of the world’s best tremendous powers vying for world dominance.
The Southeast Asian archipelago nation is indispensable to Washington’s Indo-Pacific technique, which incorporates deterring China’s rising army energy and affect within the area. Not solely does the Philippines have a decades-long treaty with the US, it has extra not too long ago allowed U.S. troops to maneuver and retailer weapons, provides and intelligence at a few of its bases in change for upgrades to those websites.
In the meantime, the Philippines additionally maintains a great relationship with China, Manila’s geographical neighbor and its largest buying and selling associate. This relationship endures regardless of the continuing territorial dispute between the 2 nations within the South China Sea, over which China makes broad and historic claims.
So how does the Philippines stroll the positive line of being each the linchpin of Washington’s Indo-Pacific technique and China’s neighbor?
“Peace by way of deterrence,” Philippines Ambassador to the U.S. Jose Manuel Romualdez, not too long ago advised NPR’s Leila Fadel. The strategy, he says, focuses on enhancing the safety relationship between the Philippines and the U.S.. The Balikatan conflict video games — an annual army train carried out between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. army — are an integral a part of this technique. Nations equivalent to Australia, Japan and the UK now additionally take part within the drills.
This interview has been edited for size and readability.
Leila Fadel: Might you broaden on the peace by way of deterrence strategy?
Jose Manuel Romualdez: We wish to deter any potential battle that will come up. So if we strengthen {our relationships} not solely with the US, however different nations as properly, and we proceed to do what we’re doing, we’re hoping that it’s going to give us peace as a result of it is going to clearly deter any nation from considering of going into any form of battle.
Fadel: There are rising tensions within the South China Sea. There have been quite a few confrontations involving vessels over the past couple of years between the Philippines and China, and the stress between the U.S. and China can also be rising economically. What place does that put the Philippines in? You’ve got these issues round protection and safety, however China is the geographical neighbor of the Philippines — its largest buying and selling associate. How do you navigate this relationship with Beijing whereas persevering with to play a big function within the U.S. Indo-Pacific technique?
Romualdez: I feel it is quite simple. We have had a mutual protection treaty with the US since 1951, and because it has been mentioned on many events, it is an ironclad dedication coming not solely from the US, however a dedication coming from us. On the finish of the day, it’s what we name a state of affairs the place we wish all nations to respect its territorial integrity. And whereas we respect China’s territorial integrity as properly, and no matter claims which might be reliable, we anticipate them to do the identical with us. We’re additionally reaching out to them on many different points that we can work with, like local weather change and financial cooperation. Clearly, it is high of the record for us. We wish to have good relations with China.
Fadel: President Trump and his cupboard have made it clear that they wish to prioritize America first, and that is very fashionable along with his electoral base. Do you are concerned that the Philippines could be deserted if there’s a Taiwan contingency — a battle between China and Taiwan?
Romualdez: Properly, it’s within the curiosity of the US that we stay shut allies. We’re simply going to have a look at it from the sensible standpoint, and I feel it is all a matter of what’s in the perfect pursuits of the US. I would prefer to assume that we play a job in that curiosity, and additionally it is in our curiosity that the US stays engaged within the Pacific area, particularly the South China Sea. It is an space the place trillions of {dollars} of cargo go by way of, and that space must be protected. It must be free and clear. So, it’s within the curiosity of the US that it stays that method.
Fadel: If there’s a Taiwan contingency, would the Philippines get entangled?
Romualdez: I can not say sure or no, as a result of that is an operational query that must be answered by each our protection and the form of treaty that we’ve with the US. It relies upon actually on what function the Philippines can play so far as that is involved. We actually had been hoping that having the connection that we’ve with the US, and that we’ve communicated on many events, that our financial prosperity equals financial safety for us. And with that, we imply that we want, clearly, to have the financial sources to have the ability to modernize our armed forces the place we might be shopping for American {hardware}. So, these are the issues that we’re engaged on to have the ability to have a mutually economically viable state of affairs between our two nations.
Fadel: Earlier this month, a delegation got here from Manila to Washington to speak about commerce and tariffs. You helped lead these conferences. Either side agreed on a extra “balanced, truthful commerce.” In response to the U.S. Division of Commerce, the U.S. and Philippines have a commerce deficit of almost $5 billion. What ensures did you come out of these conferences with?
Romualdez: That determine is $5 billion, however with the acquisition of the F-16s, that determine is totally worn out and the stability tilts straight away. That is what I imply by what’s vital. It is a stability. The balancing is the truth that we have to have persevering with financial development for the nation to have the ability to be an actual associate to the US.
Fadel: I wish to flip for the final a part of our interview to former President Rodrigo Duterte, who stays in The Hague as he awaits trial for alleged crimes in opposition to humanity, expenses stemming from extrajudicial killings in his conflict on medication whereas in workplace. Is that this justice?
Romualdez: I feel that that must be left to the worldwide courtroom, of which he would most likely stand trial. I used to be appointed by President Duterte to be right here in 2017. At the moment, I feel the nation was going by way of a tough interval in our historical past by way of the drug state of affairs. President Duterte made it his mantra to battle his conflict on medication, and the folks of the Philippines are more than happy with that as a result of folks felt safer when he was cleansing up the streets.
Fadel: Do you assume he deserves this?
Romualdez: I could not say whether or not he deserves it or not. What’s vital is what the Filipino folks say. In the long run, I feel we’ve a state of affairs much like right here in the US, the place the folks spoke after they re-elected Donald Trump after so many expenses have been made in opposition to him.
The published model of this story was edited by Ashley Westerman and produced by Adam Bearne and Carla Esteves. The digital model was edited by Olivia Hampton.
