Munich: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.

According to Anadolu Agency, during the meeting, Rubio reaffirmed the US' commitment to its alliance with the Philippines and expressed his desire to build "an even more invested and enduring relationship."

The discussions between Rubio and Manalo focused on U.S.-Philippines coordination in addressing "China's destabilizing actions in the South China Sea," as noted in an official statement. Additionally, their talks covered the expansion of economic cooperation across several sectors, including civil nuclear cooperation, infrastructure, critical minerals, information technology, and energy.

On social media platform X, Manalo emphasized the Philippines' commitment to collaborate with the US to "further strengthen economic and security ties." He praised the meeting as a "great first in-person meeting" and remarked that "a strong and committed Philippine-US partnership in various areas will contribute to a more robust alliance."

The three-day Munich Security Conference is set to conclude on Sunday.