Romualdez pointed to a US$2.5 billion bill for Philippines defence currently before the US Congress, saying there was strong bipartisan support for the legislation.
The veteran diplomat also floated the possibility of buying liquid natural gas from the United States, saying it had come up in discussions with Alaskan Senator Dan Sullivan.
“Many of our energy requirements could possibly use LNG as an alternative source of energy. So that’s one of the many things we’re trying to put together as part of our give-and-take, if you want to call it that,” he said.
Asked how fractious relations between the United States and its European allies over Russia’s war in Ukraine might affect the Philippines, Romualdez said the West was still on the same page when it came to the South China Sea.
“What is happening in the European theatre is different from what is happening here,” he said. “The interest of other countries in our part of the world remains the same,” he said.
“Trillions of dollars pass through the South China Sea and it’s clear that we don’t want any one country to dominate the area.”
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/philippine-ambassador-us-confident-trump-era-ties-will-stay-strong-4972041
