(Adnkronos) – Marco Rubio will be in Manila, Philippines, next week for a summit with ministers from Asean countries, according to State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott today, specifying that from July 19 to 23 the Secretary of State will participate in the Asean Post-Ministerial Conference, the East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, and the Asean Regional Forum Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. Rubio will also hold bilateral meetings with Indo-Pacific government officials.
Rubio’s mission to Southeast Asia comes after the resumption of the conflict between the US and Iran, which is creating pressure and economic difficulties for traditional American allies in the region, and after Donald Trump accused China of compromising American election data in his address to the nation last night. Rubio’s spokesperson emphasizes that the Secretary of State’s visit aims to “advance a clear priority for the US: a free and open Indo-Pacific that ensures security, protection, and prosperity for the region and the American people.” Words that for Washington mean seeking to counterbalance China’s growing influence in the region.
“Secretary Rubio will use this visit to demonstrate the tangible results of the US-Asean partnership and to deepen the overall partnership between the United States and the Philippines,” concludes Pigott’s statement, which does not provide details of Rubio’s bilateral agenda. Last year, Rubio met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of Asean meetings. Iran will certainly be on the agenda for next week’s discussions, as Asian oil-importing countries are experiencing a strong negative impact due to the closure of Hormuz: 80 percent of the hydrocarbons passing through the strait are destined for Asian countries, according to IEA data.
