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Filipinos staged a protest in Washington, D.C. on Monday to express their disapproval of the meeting between Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and U.S. President Joe Biden on May 1.
U.S. President Joe Biden (R) and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. walk up the West Wing colonnade on their way to the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, U.S., May 1, 2023. /Reuters
Joined by non-Filipino allies, the protesters said they would "hold a day-long protest to send the message that Marcos was not welcome in the U.S."
They also called out Marcos for the "economic burden" the military drills have placed on the shoulders of poor Filipinos in dire need of "critical cash assistance programs" which are "being redirected to an inflated military budget during a rapidly worsening economic crisis," Manila Times reported.
One day before the meeting, Filipino progressive groups protested in front of the U.S. embassy in Manila.
"U.S. troops out now in PH!" one sign read.
The regular International Labor Day rally had a new theme, Renato Reyes Jr, secretary general of the New Patriotic Alliance, told prospective demonstrators that "the U.S. reaffirmation of the Philippines as its military outpost in Asia," according to Al Jazeera.
Being dragged by the U.S. into its competition with China will not only harm interests of the Philippines but also obstruct ties between China-Philippines, Chen Xiangmiao, director of the world navy research center at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, said.
When the Philippines and the U.S. held joint military drills on April 11, it sparked widespread protests with people burning U.S. flags outside the Armed Forces of the Philippines headquarters in Quezon City. Protests were also held in New York.
(With input from agencies)
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Copyright © 2023 CGTN. 京ICP备16065310号
Disinformation report hotline: 010-85061466