President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. welcomed the recent meeting between United States President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, describing continued dialogue between the two global powers as vital to regional stability and global economic cooperation.
Speaking to Japanese media in Malacañang, Marcos said direct communication between Washington and Beijing remains essential, especially amid ongoing geopolitical tensions and trade disputes affecting economies worldwide.
“However, it is always very encouraging to see when the two nations, such as China and the United States, can still come together and communicate with one another,” Marcos said.
“If you stop talking, then immediately there is no chance of success,” he added.
The President said he could not speculate on the details or possible outcomes of the Trump-Xi meeting but expressed hope that the talks could help ease tensions from the prolonged trade conflict between the two countries.
The US-China trade war has disrupted global supply chains and created economic uncertainty across various regions, including Asia.
Marcos said he hopes the renewed engagement between the two leaders would lead to reduced economic confrontation and stronger international cooperation.
“And when I say peace now, I don’t mean just a military lack of fighting. I’m also talking about peace in terms of trade,” he said.
“The trade wars will diminish. There will be more cooperation,” he added.
The President emphasized that while healthy economic competition is important, countries must still cooperate whenever possible to strengthen regional economies and protect consumers.
Marcos also reaffirmed the Philippines’ adherence to the One China Policy, stressing that Manila continues to recognize China as the sole sovereign Chinese state and would not interfere in matters involving Taiwan.
“The Philippines has, from the very start, always held a one-China policy,” Marcos said.
At the same time, he reiterated the Philippines’ call for peaceful resolution of tensions involving Taiwan, noting that any escalation in the area could directly affect the Philippines because of its geographic proximity and the large number of Filipinos living and working there.
Marcos said maintaining peace and stability remains a shared goal among countries in the region, including Japan and the Philippines.