US Vice President Kamala Harris visits the Philippines

United States Vice President Kamala Harris is in the Philippines for talks aimed at reviving ties with the former U.S. colony.

Harris, who will meet President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., visits the region as the Biden administration seeks to shore up relations with allies worried about growing Chinese influence in Southeast Asia and possible conflict over Taiwan.

The leaders are expected to discuss both Taiwan and the South China Sea as well as share notes on Marcos’ Thursday meeting with Xi and Biden’s with the Chinese leader on Monday.

“The U.S. is not taking us for granted. 

 “Marcos, of course, is responding to this in a manner that shows the U.S. that we are your friends,” said Manila’s ambassador to Washington, Jose Manuel Romualdez.

The Philippines is an important part of this diplomatic push. Military access to the country, just 120 miles (193 km) from Taiwan and adjacent to the South China Sea, would greatly complicate any attempt by China to invade Taiwan, according to military analysts.

Harris’ visit will be the highest-level trip to the Philippines by an administration official and marks a sharp turnaround in relations.

In Asia, the United States faces challenges in building a coalition to deter Chinese action against Taiwan.

Many countries in the region are reluctant to antagonize their giant neighbor, which is not just a military power but also a key trading partner and source of investment.

While Washington is integrated with Japan’s and South Korea’s militaries and economies, it faces more skepticism of its China strategy among Southeast Asia’s diverse voices.

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In response, the Biden administration has taken a range of steps, including hosting ASEAN leaders at the White House for the first time ever in May, and asking Congress for $800 million in 2023 spending in the region.

Biden himself has visited the region, with stops in Cambodia and Indonesia.

Harris will send a pointed symbolic message to China on Tuesday when she meets members of the Philippines’ coast guard in a Palawan province island city at the edge of the South China Sea.

Arsenio Andolong, a Philippine defense department spokesman, said there was no reason for China to fear Harris’ visit.

“We have no engagement with her during her visit,” said Andolong. “So there should be no reason for any of our neighbors to feel threatened.”

Zainab Sa’id