Washington,  May 4 (AseanAll)  — Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on May 3 met with members of the US Senate where they discussed a wide range of issues that include security, defense, agriculture, and climate change mitigation, economic cooperation and cyber security.

According to the Presidential Communications Office of the Philippines, in his remarks, Marcos thanked Sen. Robert Menendez, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and other members of the panel for welcoming his delegation to Capitol Hill for the frank and productive discussions on the state of Philippines-US relations.

Having been a member of the Philippine House of Representatives and the Senate, Marcos said engagements between Manila and Washington should not only take place at the executive but also with members of the legislature.

In the meeting, Marcos noted that defense and security engagement remains the key pillar of Philippines-US bilateral relations. He hailed the US’ willingness to work with the Philippine government “as an equal, sovereign partner.”

The President also expressed the Philippines’ intention to deepen cooperation with the US in the areas of supply chain, health and health security, environment, energy security, and interconnectivity.

The meeting was part of the President’s official visit to Washington, and follows a series of high-level dialogues with US President Joseph Biden and US Vice President Kamala Harris.

Joining the President in the Wednesday Capitol Hill meeting were Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique A. Manalo, Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel G. Romualdez, Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla, and Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual.

Among those who joined Menendez were Senator James Risch, SFRC Ranking Member, as well as other officials of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.