By Ryan Louis Mantilla

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. met with the highest ranking American official, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, to reaffirm their commitments to the Mutual Defense Treaty.

Blinken's visit comes as tensions in Taiwan rise in the wake of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to the island, which enraged China.

But amid the war in Ukraine and the heightened tensions between Taiwan and China, Marcos restated the significance of the Philippines and the United States' friendship.

"We are too closely tied because of the special relationship between the United States and the Philippines and the history that we share. And of course, all the assistance and help and support that we have received from the United States over the years," said Marcos. 

On the other hand, Blinken said the two countries' relationship came from the alliance, calling it "quite extraordinary."

The American official also raised Marcos' spirits by reassuring him that their country would continue working with the Philippines in the face of challenges, including the pandemic.

"To your point, the people to people ties between us are almost unique and it's something that we tremendously value in the United States just as I know that you do here," said Blinken.