Philippine President Marcos has announced that he will visit neighboring Indonesia on his first foreign trip since taking office.
While the United States and China were actively inviting the president to win over the new administration, it seems that there is a desire to carefully balance diplomacy between the two major powers.
Philippine President Marcos announced on the 19th through a press secretary at the presidential office that he will visit neighboring Indonesia in early next month, followed by Singapore, as his first overseas visit after taking office.
Regarding President Marcos' first foreign visit, the Philippine Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that he was considering a visit to Washington, D.C., at the invitation of President Biden of the United States, who began to strengthen relations after the new administration was inaugurated.
On the other hand, the Chinese government, which has deepened relations in the economic field since the Duterte administration, has dispatched Vice President Wang Qishan and Foreign Minister Wang Yi one after another, making it clear that it attaches importance to the Philippines. The paper said that he had asked the president to visit China.
While both countries are actively trying to win over the new government, President Marcos seems to want to carefully balance diplomacy between the two major powers by choosing the neighboring ASEAN countries.