US officials arriving for defense talks on July 30

MANILA, Philippines — Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo and Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. will meet with their American counterparts, State Secretary Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III, in Manila on July 30 for the 4th Philippines-US Foreign and Defense Ministerial Dialogue.

The officials will discuss bilateral cooperation on security and economy, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

READ: PH, US set 2+2 dialogue on July 30

“The four Secretaries are expected to discuss how to further enhance our two countries’ ironclad commitment to this alliance while enabling a common program in support of the rules-based international order, enhanced economic ties, broad-based prosperity and solutions to evolving regional and global security challenges,” the DFA said.

US Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink, in a statement on Monday, said that Blinken and Austin would also “continue to build the momentum of … US-Japan-Philippine trilateral cooperation.” —Jacob Lazaro