The Philippines joined the semiconductor-focused, U.S.-led Pax Silica coalition and agreed to host a 4,000-acre Economic Security Zone on the island of Luzon, a U.S.-administered industrial hub on Philippine soil intended to anchor allied supply chains outside China, The Wall Street Journal reported on April 16.

Washington is intensifying efforts to reduce dependence on Chinese dominance in critical minerals processing, battery materials and electronics manufacturing while building more resilient supply chains after years of trade and technology disputes with Beijing, while Manila seeks foreign investment, industrial upgrading and alternatives to exporting raw materials to China. The initiative builds on the 2024 Luzon Economic Corridor initiative, a trilateral arrangement also including Japan. Pax Silica, created in December 2025, is Washington's coalition — now numbering 13 countries — to secure semiconductor and strategic manufacturing supply chains.