What does the Philippines president Marcos Jr's trip to the US mean as tensions rise with China?

United States president Joe Biden is hosting President Ferdinand Marcos Jr of the Philippines for White House talks on Monday as concerns grow about the Chinese navy's harassment of Philippine vessels in the South China Sea. In contrast to his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte, who led the Southeast Asian country towards Beijing, Marcos Jr, who was elected in May 2022, is making his maiden trip to the White House. China is the largest commercial partner of the Philippines. Despite the fact that Marcos Jr was rewarded with a state visit to Beijing in January this year, Manila is growing more and…