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MANILA: Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. mentioned on Thursday he would search to tighten ties with the US after President Joe Biden referred to as him with congratulations on successful the Philippine presidential election.

Biden was one of many first world leaders to acknowledge Marcos’s victory in Monday’s ballot. Whereas counting continues to be underway, the son and namesake of the late Philippine dictator secured greater than half of the votes.  

Biden referred to as Marcos on Thursday morning.

“Marcos was grateful for the acknowledgment of his victory by the American president,” the Philippine president-elect’s workplace mentioned in an announcement, including that it “could possibly be one of the vital essential messages for his incoming administration.”  

“The 2 leaders spoke of strengthening of ties in commerce and diplomacy, in addition to their widespread curiosity in democracy, self-determination, financial restoration.”

Marcos additionally invited Biden to attend his inauguration on June 30 to “additional fortify the connection of the 2 international locations.” The Philippines had tried to distance itself from the US, its former colonial grasp, through the presidency of incumbent Rodrigo Duterte, who had embraced a Beijing-friendly route.

However whereas Marcos and his working mate, Duterte’s daughter Sara Duterte-Carpio, have vowed to observe his key insurance policies, together with the place on China, Washington could have leverage on the brand new Philippine ruler who spent years of exile within the US.

Marcos’s father dominated the Philippines with an iron fist for 20 years — an period marred by widespread corruption and human rights abuses — and was faraway from workplace in a preferred rebellion in 1986. After his ouster, the household fled to Hawaii on US helicopters.

Following Biden’s name, the White Home issued an announcement saying that the US chief “appears to be like ahead to working with the President-elect to proceed strengthening the U.S.-Philippine Alliance, whereas increasing bilateral cooperation on a variety of points.”

The Philippines is likely one of the oldest Asian companions of the US and a serious non-NATO ally. The alliance is anchored on the 1951 Mutual Protection Treaty, which commits Washington and Manila to increase navy help to one another if both of them is attacked by an exterior get together.

Manila sought to be much less depending on the US beneath Duterte’s rule. However Ramon Casiple, the manager director of the Institute for Political and Electoral Reform, mentioned this was prone to change with Marcos.

He advised Arab Information that Biden’s congratulatory name indicated that the US acknowledged Marcos’s electoral win, regardless that official outcomes haven’t but been introduced, due to the US “expertise through the Duterte years” and the geopolitical scenario following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which has positioned China on the other facet to the US.

“The US is making a realistic resolution,” he mentioned. “This new scenario, should you take heed to the US intelligence report back to the US Congress, mainly opened a brand new period. It’s like a brand new Chilly Warfare.”

He added that Washington-Manila relations had been prone to be smoother, however on US phrases.

“As a result of Marcos shouldn’t be the one dictating the bottom of this relationship. If the US thinks that they should be on the nice facet with Marcos, that means from the viewpoint of the China issues that the US has, then they might be very accommodating to Marcos.”