Vancouver : The Philippines and Canada announced the elevation of their bilateral relations to a strategic partnership, in a move aimed at strengthening cooperation across a range of areas.
Ferdinand Marcos Jr., President of the Republic of the Philippines, said in a statement issued after expanded bilateral talks with Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada, in Vancouver that the two countries had agreed to elevate their relations to the level of a strategic partnership, reflecting the development of bilateral ties and growing cooperation.
President Marcos said both countries’ foreign ministers had been tasked with preparing an action plan to implement the strategic partnership, helping address evolving global challenges and strengthen future cooperation.
He added that the action plan would build on recent progress in defence and security cooperation, including the Status of Visiting Forces Agreement signed in Manila last November and the Mutual Logistics Support Arrangement signed in Ottawa two weeks ago.
Both sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in defence and security, accelerate efforts to expand trade and investment, enhance cooperation in the energy and critical minerals sectors, strengthen economic resilience, and expand people-to-people exchanges.
President Marcos said the strategic partnership was not limited to security, but also included deepening economic cooperation by increasing trade and investment, strengthening supply chains, and expanding cooperation in the energy and natural resources sectors.
The talks also covered the Philippines’ upcoming chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), means to maintain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific, and enhanced cooperation under Canada’s Indo-Pacific strategy.
Following the talks, both sides witnessed the signing of a joint declaration of intent on cooperation in energy and natural resources, along with several agreements covering tourism, culture, labour and migration, aimed at strengthening bilateral relations and ties between the peoples of both countries.
