Economic cooperation and the road to peace

My recent visit to Harvard Kennedy School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, provided a welcome opportunity to discuss a question that matters deeply to the Philippines: how can economic cooperation between the United States and China help preserve peace in our region?

I was invited as the guest speaker by Ambassador Nicholas Burns, Professor of the Practice of Diplomacy and International Relations and former US Ambassador to China – first at the Harvard faculty club for dinner then on to the Harvard Kennedy School the next morning with students, where we had a lively discussion on the current US-Philippine relations vis-a-vis our relationship with China.

At the dinner discussion with faculty members, we had specialists on China and US-China relations, special guests and international studies students engaging in an exchange that explored challenges facing the Indo-Pacific and countries like ours.

Ambassador Burns moderated the discussion with the larger group of students the next day on Philippine relations with the United States, particularly in the context of China. I emphasized a conviction that has become increasingly clear throughout my work in Washington: economic relations must be a central part of our efforts to prevent conflict.

The Philippines has a direct interest in a stable relationship between Washington and Beijing. The US is our treaty ally, while our neighbor China is an important economic partner with whom we must continue to engage. We want both relationships to contribute to the security and prosperity of our people.

The recent meeting between President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping is therefore welcome, as well as their intended participation in the upcoming APEC and G20 summits. China will host APEC in November, while the US will host the G20 in December. These gatherings offer further opportunities for dialogue and practical cooperation.

Meetings between leaders do not erase disagreements overnight. Yet when the leaders of the world’s two largest economies meet, they create space for negotiations that would otherwise be difficult to pursue amid escalating hostility. The task is to translate that engagement into agreements that businesses and ordinary citizens can rely on.

For a Filipino exporter, an American manufacturer or a Chinese entrepreneur, uncertainty has a real cost. Delayed investments mean jobs that are not created. Disrupted supply chains can raise prices for families already struggling with household budgets. Economic tensions between major powers are felt far beyond their borders.

The advent of new technology makes cooperation even more consequential. Artificial intelligence, advances in medicine, cleaner energy and improved agricultural systems offer possibilities to address problems affecting all of humanity. The US and China have the resources and expertise to contribute enormously to these efforts, even as they compete.

There will inevitably be sensitive areas where national security considerations require safeguards. But we should also identify fields where responsible cooperation can serve a common interest. Dialogue on the safe use of AI, for example, can help governments understand emerging risks while preserving opportunities for innovation and economic growth.

For the Philippines, the practical question is how our people can benefit. We need investments that develop skills, improve infrastructure and connect Filipino enterprises to wider markets. Technology should help our farmers become more productive, enable smaller businesses to reach customers and give our young people access to better opportunities at home.

ASEAN is at the center of these considerations. Our region is connected to both the American and Chinese economies, and its future cannot be separated from the quality of their relationship. As ASEAN chair this year, the Philippines has an opportunity to encourage engagement that recognizes the entire region’s interests.

ASEAN countries have their own priorities and perspectives, yet we share a powerful interest in keeping our region peaceful and economically open. By strengthening cooperation among us and engaging our partners, we can help create an environment in which differences are managed through diplomacy, and countries continue to invest in one another’s future.

Economic engagement must proceed alongside respect for sovereignty and international law. Our position on the West Philippine Sea remains anchored on our rights and our responsibility to protect our people. Pursuing cooperation with China does not require us to set aside those principles. It requires the patience and confidence to address disagreements while keeping dialogue open.

Equally, our alliance with the United States supports our efforts to maintain a peaceful and stable region. A strong alliance and constructive economic engagement can serve the same objective: ensuring that Filipinos can live securely, earn a decent living and look to the future with confidence.

My conclusion from the Harvard discussions is straightforward. If these two economic giants can work together where their interests converge, particularly in the responsible development of new technology, they can strengthen the foundations for peaceful resolutions of conflict. Shared prosperity gives governments and communities more reasons to preserve peace.

We must therefore encourage agreements that produce tangible benefits and remain fair to all participants. Cooperation will be more durable when people can see its value in their daily lives and trust that their interests are protected.

Students who joined our discussions will inherit the consequences of decisions made today. They deserve a world where talent and ambition can flourish without the constant fear of conflict. For those of us entrusted with diplomatic responsibilities, helping make that world possible is an obligation I take seriously.

I left Harvard convinced that the road to peace requires sustained effort, principled dialogue and the willingness to recognize common interests. If Washington and Beijing can turn economic cooperation into lasting progress, the benefits will reach well beyond their shores, including the homes and communities of millions of Filipinos.

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