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China visit will determine Marcos Jr's foreign policy strategy - expert

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<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. greets Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi as the latter arrives in Malacañang for a courtesy call on the Philippine President, Tuesday, July 6, 2022. Palace Photos/File" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/news/07/06/20220706-wang-yi-courtesy-call-mnib-1.jpg"/><figcaption>President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. greets Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi as the latter arrives in Malacañang for a courtesy call on the Philippine President, Tuesday, July 6, 2022. <em>Palace Photos/File</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s state visit to China next week will determine his foreign policy strategy, a security analyst said Friday.</p><p>&quot;The visit will give our President the moment to think on what kind of foreign policy he would want to have for the Philippines,&quot; said Chester Cabalza, founding president of Manila-based think tank International Development and Security Cooperation.</p><p>&quot;On whether or not he would continue with the implementation of neutrality policy or would gain the fruits of his alliance with the United States and like-minded nations,&quot; he continued.</p><p>During his first State of the Nation Address in July, Marcos said his administration &quot;will stand firm in our independent foreign policy, with the national interest as our primordial guide.&quot;</p><p>&quot;The Philippines shall continue to be a friend to all and an enemy to none,&quot; he said.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/25/22/marcos-says-to-maintain-independent-foreign-policy">Marcos reiterates won&#x27;t abandon any square inch of PH territory</a></li></ul><p>Marcos&#x27; predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, had rocky relations with the US and pivoted towards China. He made five visits to the world&#x27;s No. 2 economy during his term.</p><p>In a meeting in New York in September, Marcos told US President Joe Biden that he appreciated America&#x27;s role in &quot;maintaining the peace in our region&quot;.</p><p>According to Cabalza, dealing with China will be a tough balancing act given its economic might.</p><p>&quot;It needs a lot of diplomatic skills and negotiations of what China wants for the Philippines and what Manila wants for Beijing,&quot; he said.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2397996" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div><p>Up to 14 bilateral agreements are expected to be signed during Marcos&#x27; January 3-5 visit.</p><p>The Philippines and China will establish direct communication between their foreign ministries to avoid &quot;miscalculation and miscommunication&quot; in the hotly disputed South China Sea.</p><p>Marcos has insisted he would not let China trample on the Philippines&#x27; maritime rights in the sea -- in contrast to Duterte, who was reluctant to criticize the superpower.</p><p>Beijing claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea and has ignored an international court ruling that its claims have no legal basis.</p><p>The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei have overlapping claims to parts of it.</p><p>Marcos will travel with First Lady Liza Marcos, former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, and several Cabinet secretaries.</p><div><strong>— With a report from Agence France-Presse</strong><br/> </div>

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s state visit to China next week will determine his foreign policy strategy, a security analyst said Friday.