May 28, 2025
MANILA – President Marcos on Wednesday pushed for expanded cooperation with Cambodia in defense and trade to ensure peace and stability in Southeast Asia.
This was after he sat down for a bilateral meeting with Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet here on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summits.
Mr. Marcos stressed the importance of expanding the bilateral cooperation between their two countries in other key areas as he noted their improved trade ties, partially because of the increase in Manila’s car exports to Cambodia.
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“I hope that we can move forward with those discussions in terms of trade, defense, and potential defense cooperation,” the President said.
His meeting with Hun Manet came more than three months after the Cambodian Prime Minister visited Manila in February this year.
Hun Manet thanked Mr. Marcos for his hospitality and urged other member-states of the regional bloc to embrace emerging opportunities amid global trade disruptions.
Trading partners
“There are thousands of products where we can find complementarities as trading partners,” the Cambodian leader said as he emphasized the region’s collective potential for resilience and growth.
The Philippines and Cambodia formalized diplomatic relations in 1957, with their collaboration expanding to trade, tourism, education, and defense.
On Monday, Mr. Marcos also met with Thailand Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the country’s youngest Prime Minister and daughter of the influential Shinawatra political clan, and invited her to visit Manila.
The two leaders agreed to boost their trade and investment cooperation, especially in agriculture, electronics, artificial intelligence, and precious metals. They also vowed to harness innovation and economic complementarity to drive inclusive and sustainable growth in Southeast Asia.
The President pointed out that enhanced cooperation between Manila and Bangkok is crucial especially that the global economy is confronted with issues that are “very difficult to predict and forecast.”
He also welcomed a leading Thai agricultural company’s commitment to invest in the country as proof of the private sector’s vital role in the country’s economic development.
He also cited the “great potential” for a partnership with Thailand in electronics, artificial intelligence, copper, vehicle wiring, and precious metals industries.
“I really see that there is great potential in all of these areas,” Mr. Marcos said as he assured that the Philippines is eyeing an increase in its exports to Thailand as Manila’s sixth largest trading partner.
For her part, Paetongtarn agreed to expanding agricultural cooperation with the Philippines by having Thailand invest heavily in research and development.
“We encourage other countries to invest in Thailand more and invest in the Philippines as well,” she added.