of Philippine and US foreign affairs and defense officials has also opened new channels for stronger bilateral trade and investment relations, Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo said Thursday.
“The 2+2 meeting, which was the first to be held in seven years, opened new channels for improving the scale and depth of the bilateral partnership in trade and investments," Manalo said in a statement. Manalo said the countries agreed to reinforce their partnership “with a new focus on a strong long-term economic partnership that has dividends for the Philippines’ upward economic trajectory as a middle-income economy”.