US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday hosted Philippine top diplomat Maria Theresa Lazaro to discuss efforts to advance peace in the South China Sea.
“Secretary of State Marco Rubio met today with Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Maria Theresa Lazaro to discuss a range of bilateral economic and security priorities, including the Philippines’ ASEAN chair year as well as efforts to advance peace and security in the South China Sea,” a statement by the US State Department said.
ASEAN refers to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which is a bloc consisting of 11 member states, chaired by the Philippines for the year 2026.
“The secretary reaffirmed the US commitment to developing the Luzon Economic Corridor and exploring ways to address energy challenges in the region,” the statement said.
The Luzon Economic Corridor is a trilateral initiative of the US, Japan, and the Philippines.
During the meeting, Rubio “emphasized the strength of the United States-Philippines Alliance and continued close cooperation as the two countries commemorate 80 years of diplomatic relations and 75 years as allies in 2026,” the statement added.
The Philippines is one of the oldest military allies of the US in the wider Asia-Pacific region, with a mutual defense agreement.
For her part, Lazaro described the meeting as “productive,” and wrote on US social media company X that they “engaged in discussions on our strategic partnership across multiple fronts.”
“Our dialogue focused on strengthening economic diplomacy. We also reaffirmed our strong maritime cooperation and shared commitment to maintaining regional peace and stability, emphasizing the importance of diplomatic channels to de-escalate tensions,” she added.