WASHINGTON/MANILA -- U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will meet Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte during his tour of Southeast Asia starting Friday, the Philippine ambassador to the U.S. told Nikkei, as Washington works to save a pact at the heart of their military alliance.
Relations between the Philippines and the U.S. have been strained under Duterte, who has repeatedly expressed anti-American sentiment. He unilaterally decided in February 2020 to terminate the Visiting Forces Agreement, which provides a legal framework for the U.S. military presence in the Philippines and is widely considered critical to maintaining their alliance.
