Marcos to participate in ASEAN-Australia Special Summit

President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. will depart for Melbourne, Australia next week to participate in the 2024 ASEAN-Australia Special Summit. 

This was announced by Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Daniel Espiritu during a Palace press briefing on Tuesday. Earlier, it was announced that Marcos will address the Australian Parliament in Canberra.

According to the Australian government's Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Australia has longstanding ties with nations in Southeast Asia and a shared vision for an open, stable, and prosperous region. 

It said that deepening engagement with ASEAN and its member states is a priority for Australia.

In October 2021, ASEAN and Australia made the historic decision to establish a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP), which has ramped up cooperation, advanced shared priorities and implemented new programs among nations.

Under the CSP, a broad range of cooperation is being taken forward, including various sectors such as energy transition, digital economy, health, and countering human trafficking.

In November of this year, the Philippines and Australia will mark the 78th anniversary of their diplomatic relations.

Filipinos and Australians with Filipino descent number 408,000 in Australia as of 2022, according to the Presidential Communications Office. This makes them the fifth largest migrant community in Australia.—AOL, GMA Integrated News