No Pax Silica Announcement During ASEAN – US Envoy

There are no plans for the signing of agreements on Pax Silica at the coming Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Leaders’ Summit in Manila later this month contrary to media reports, US Ambassador Lee Lipton clarified on Saturday, Nov. 7.

“As the US ambassador to the Republic of the Philippines, I would like to address comments in the media about an announcement on the Pax Silica Economic Security Zone to occur during or after the ASEAN Leaders’ Summit in Manila this month,” Lipton said in a statement.

“No such announcement on the Pax Silica Economic Security Zone was ever planned. Decisions will be made in full consultation with the government of the Philippines at the appropriate time,” he stressed.

“As stated previously and as part of this process, we expect rigorous discussions on impacts to all stakeholders,” Lipton added.

He noted that the US is looking forward to working alongside the Philippine government about the “exciting initiative to secure supply chains and attract quality investment in support of economic growth and jobs at home for the Filipino people.” 

US President Donald Trump will attend the ASEAN Summit in Manila and the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen, China on Nov. 18-19.

Philippine Ambassador to Washington Jose Manuel Romualdez said a Pax Silica deal is unlikely to be finalized during Trump’s visit, as the Philippines and the US are still working on details of such an agreement.

Last May, State Undersecretary for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg led the unveiling of the proposed site inside New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac for the proposed 4,000-acre AI industrial hub under the US-led multilateral Pax Silica Initiative.

The State Department said the zone is intended to be a first-of-its-kind industrial hub designed to boost production of inputs vital to global supply chains as well as provide a significant contribution to advancing the planned Luzon Economic Corridor.