US-PI alliance to be reaffirmed at the White House
US President Joe Biden will meet with his Philippine counterpart Ferdinand Marcos on May 1 at the White House to discuss deepening economic cooperation and the Indo-Pacific, the White House said on Thursday. The two leaders will also discuss further economic cooperation, the statement said. "During the visit, President Biden will reaffirm the United States' ironclad commitment to the defense of the Philippines, and the leaders will discuss efforts to strengthen the longstanding US-Philippines alliance." The Marcos government this month identified four more military bases that the US may access amid shared concerns about China's growing might. China's ambassador to Manila last week accused the Philippines of "stoking the fire" of regional tensions by offering the expanded base access to the US. (Reuters)