LEILA FADEL, HOST:
The Philippines is a nation that finds itself sitting between the two major world powers vying for global dominance. It's a key security ally to the U.S. and a neighbor and trading partner to China. So that's why we sat down with the Philippine ambassador to the U.S.
Good morning. I mean, afternoon.
JOSE MANUEL ROMUALDEZ: Good afternoon.
FADEL: I'm used to being up in the morning (laughter)...
ROMUALDEZ: Yeah. All right. OK.
FADEL: ...For MORNING EDITION. Thank you for making time for us.
ROMUALDEZ: Sure.
FADEL: Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez says the new Trump administration's policies are similar to those of the former Biden administration. Both saw the Philippines as the linchpin in the United States' Indo-Pacific strategy. An example the ambassador points to are the war games called Balikatan, which were recently held in the Philippines and involved troops from the U.S., the Philippines, Australia, and Japan - the largest ever. Romualdez says these regular exercises are all part of the U.S. and Philippines' peace through deterrence approach.
ROMUALDEZ: We want to deter any potential conflict that may arise. And so if we strengthen our relationships with - not only with the United States, but other countries as well, if we continue to do what we're doing, we're hoping that it will give us peace because it will obviously deter any country from thinking of going into any kind of conflict.
FADEL: There are rising tensions in the South China Sea. There have been numerous confrontations involving vessels over the last couple of years between the Philippines and China, and the tension between the U.S. and China is also rising economically. What position does that put the Philippines in? Because you have these concerns around defense and security, but China is the geographical neighbor of the Philippines, its largest trading partner. How do you navigate this relationship with Beijing while continuing to accept a large role in the U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy?
ROMUALDEZ: I think it's very simple. We've had a mutual defense treaty with the United States since 1951, and as has been said on many occasions, it's an ironclad commitment coming not only from the United States, but a commitment coming from us. You know, at the end of the day, really, it is what we call a situation where we want all countries to respect its territorial integrity. And while we respect China's territorial integrity as well, and whatever claims that is legitimate, we expect them to do the same with us. We would - are also reaching out to them on many other issues that we would be able to work with, like climate change and economic cooperation, obviously, is top of the list for us. We would like to have good relations with China.
FADEL: President Trump and his cabinet have made it clear that they want to prioritize America first, and that's very popular with his electoral base. Do you worry that in a moment of a China contingency in Taiwan, that the Philippines will be abandoned?
ROMUALDEZ: Well, it's very hard to answer that question, really, without having to think about it.
FADEL: Yeah.
ROMUALDEZ: But I'd like to think, again, that it is in the interest of the United States that we remain close allies. We've just got to look at it from the practical point of view. And I think it's all a matter of what is best in the interest of the United States. I'd like to think that we play a role in that interest, and it is also in our interest that the United States remain engaged in the Indo-Pacific region, especially the South China Sea is an area where trillions of dollars of cargo pass through. That area has to be protected. It has to be free and clear. And so it is in the interest of the United States that it remains that way.
FADEL: If there is a Taiwan contingency, would the Philippines get involved?
ROMUALDEZ: That I have - I can't say yes or no, because that's an operational question that has to be answered by both our defense and the kind of treaty that we have in the United States. It depends really on what role the Philippines can play, as far as that is concerned.
FADEL: But if the Philippines is so important to the U.S. and the two have such a close relationship, I asked him if his country was surprised by the tariffs slapped on them last month by President Trump.
ROMUALDEZ: We certainly were hoping that having a - the relationship that we have with the United States, and that we have communicated on many occasions, that our economic prosperity equals economic security for us. And with that, we mean that we need, obviously, to have the economic resources to be able to modernize our armed forces, where we will be buying American hardware. So these are the things that we're working on to be able to have a mutually economically viable situation between our two countries.
FADEL: Earlier this month, a delegation came from Manila to Washington to talk about trade and tariffs. Do you help lead those meetings? And both sides agreed on a more, quote, "balanced, fair trade." According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. and Philippines have a trade deficit of nearly $5 billion. What guarantees did you come out of those meetings with or...
ROMUALDEZ: Just to show you, that figure even is 5 billion. With the purchase of the F-16s, that thing is completely wiped out, and the balance tilts right away.
FADEL: Tilts.
ROMUALDEZ: This is what I mean by what is important - it's balance. The balancing is the fact that we need to have a continuing economic growth for the country to being able to be a real partner to the United States.
FADEL: I want to turn for the last part of our interview to former President Rodrigo Duterte, who remains in the Hague as he awaits trial for alleged crimes against humanity, charges spurring from extrajudicial killings in his war on drugs while in office. Is this justice?
ROMUALDEZ: I think that that'll have to be left to the International Court, of which he will probably stand trial. So I - as you know, I was appointed by President Duterte here...
FADEL: Right.
ROMUALDEZ: ...In 2017. And so, at that time, I think the country was really going through a difficult period in our history in terms of the drug situation.
FADEL: Yeah.
ROMUALDEZ: And President Duterte made it his mantra to fight his war on drugs. And the people of the Philippines were very pleased with that because people felt more secure when he was cleaning up the streets of this type of situation.
FADEL: Do you think he deserves this?
ROMUALDEZ: I couldn't say whether he deserves it or not. What's important, really, is what the Filipino people say in the end. I think you have a similar situation here in the United States, where the people spoke when they reelected Donald Trump after so many charges had been made against him.
FADEL: Ambassador, thank you so much for your time.
ROMUALDEZ: Thank you.
FADEL: That's Philippines ambassador to the U.S., Jose Manuel Romualdez. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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