US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to visit the Philippines next week for talks with Southeast Asian foreign ministers, the US State Department announced on Friday, against a backdrop of global economic anxieties sparked by ongoing Middle East conflicts.
Rubio will take part in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Manila, running from Tuesday to Thursday. This marks his second consecutive year attending the regional conference, following his participation in last year’s summit in Kuala Lumpur.
State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott noted that the trip is designed to solidify Washington’s geopolitical objectives in the area.
”The trip advances a clear US priority: a free and open Indo-Pacific that delivers safety, security, and prosperity for the region and for the American people.”
The diplomatic mission aligns with Washington’s broader strategy to enhance its footprint in Asia and counter Beijing’s growing regional sway.
While Rubio’s full schedule remains unreleased, the secretary previously held side-line talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at last year’s ASEAN event. The two diplomats also held a phone call recently, following President Donald Trump’s state visit to China earlier this year.
Amid the high-level talks, regional representatives are projected to address the escalating situation surrounding Iran. The friction has alarmed Asian governments that rely on oil imports and face economic risks from potential trade blockages in the critical Strait of Hormuz.
Data from the International Energy Agency indicates that approximately 80 percent of the oil and gas shipped through this strategic route is bound for Asia.
During an ASEAN gathering in Cebu this past May, leaders from the 11 member nations deliberated on creating a collaborative fuel stockpile, according to Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., whose government holds the current ASEAN chairmanship.
While in Manila, Rubio is also slated to hold bilateral talks with President Marcos to reinforce the expanding US-Philippine alliance. Their agenda is expected to touch upon the South China Sea territorial friction involving China and various Southeast Asian neighbors.
Friction in the contested maritime zone persists, despite a landmark international tribunal decision that dismissed Beijing’s expansive historic claims across the waterway.
Additionally, the lingering political impasse in Myanmar will be a focal point of discussion.
Earlier in the week, ASEAN foreign ministers pressured Myanmar’s envoy to demonstrate “concrete” advancement toward a previously agreed-upon peace blueprint aimed at resolving the state’s internal warfare.
Myanmar has been largely sidelined by ASEAN since its 2021 military coup ousted the democratic government of Aung San Suu Kyi. China continues to be a primary ally and a rare source of international backing for the military junta.