Quad talks: Rubio heads to Philippines

Washington: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has left for the Philippines to attend ASEAN meetings and hold talks with his counterparts from the Quad grouping.

The Quad ministerial in Manila will be the second in two months, following the meeting in New Delhi in May attended by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Rubio.

Before departing, Rubio said the ASEAN meetings remain the United States’ primary platform for engaging the Indo-Pacific and provide opportunities for bilateral discussions. He said he would also participate in the Quad meeting and a trilateral meeting with Japan and South Korea.

US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor will also attend the Quad meeting.

Rubio’s July 19-23 visit includes the ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference, the East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and the ASEAN Regional Forum. The State Department said the visit underscores Washing­ton’s commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific and strengthening its partnership with the Philippines.    —PTI