Philippine election: US seeks close ties with Ferdinand Marcos despite ‘challenges’ due to historical baggage

Kurt Campbell, the White House coordinator for the Indo-Pacific, said Washington expects there will be some ‘initial challenges’ in dealing with the new president

He added that relations under outgoing leader Rodrigo Duterte ‘really rebounded’ toward the end of his term

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President-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jnr greets his supporters at the campaign headquarters in Manila, Philippines, on Wednesday. Photo: AP

Published: 12:02am, 12 May 2022Updated: 1:04am, 12 May 2022

The United States is seeking early engagement with the newly elected administration of Ferdinand Marcos Jnr in the Philippines, although historical considerations mean there will probably be some initial challenges, the chief US policymaker for Asia said on Wednesday.

“Time will tell, but our desire will be to get off to a good start,” Kurt Campbell, the White House coordinator for the Indo-Pacific said of Marcos’s decisive victory on Monday in the Philippines’ presidential election.

“We are seeking early engagement,” he said. “There are some historical considerations that probably [mean], at least initially, there will be some challenges in that communication.”

“But obviously, the Philippines plays such a critical important role and we will seek to continue close partnership in the security realm and increasing trade and economic ties.”

“Our expectation is we’ll be able to continue to work closely,” Campbell said, adding that US relations with outgoing Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte “really rebounded” toward the end of his term, “at least the strategic level, and we want very much to continue that”.