United States Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson on Tuesday, Sept. 6, welcomed a high-ranking US government official responsible for arms control and international security in her visit to Manila.
In a tweet, the envoy greeted Ambassador Bonnie Jenkins, who is the State Department's Undersecretary for Arms Control and International Security.
“Pleasure to welcome @UnderSec Amb. Bonnie D. Jenkins to Manila! Her visit helps deepen the U.S.-Philippine alliance on nuclear energy cooperation, strategic trade control, and global health security. #FriendsPartnersAllies,” Carlson wrote.
Jenkins will have a three-day visit to the Philippines to meet senior officials and civil society partners to discuss various topics, such as nuclear energy, strategic trade control, and global health security.
Her visit to Manila is part of the Asian leg of her tour, which will also include trips to Vietnam and Singapore.
READ: US-PH bilateral relations to focus on ‘moving forward’
The State Department sa earlier said that Jenkins’ visit is intended to meet with US allies and partners “to expand cooperation on global health security, counterproliferation, conventional weapons destruction, civil-nuclear partnership, export controls and strategic trade.”
The priority purpose of her visit would be to discuss the possibility of using nuclear energy in the country since this was a commitment made by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken when he visited in July.
Shifting the country to the use of renewable energy is one of the goals mentioned by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. during his first State of the Nation Address (SONA).