Marcos leaves for Melbourne for ASEAN-Australia Special Summit

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on Sunday morning left for Melbourne, Australia to participate in the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit.

The Special Summit seeks to commemorate the 50th anniversary of ASEAN-Australia relations, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) earlier said.

In his departure message, Marcos said the Special Summit would be the first ASEAN leaders’ engagement for 2024, and would therefore present an opportunity for the Philippines to reiterate its national positions on regional and international issues, as well as set the tone for the ASEAN’s Dialogue Partner Summits later this year.

“The Summit will be an opportunity for the Philippines to thank Australia, ASEAN’s oldest Dialogue Partner, for its unwavering support for the rule of law, for the 1982 UNCLOS and the 2016 Arbitral Award through timely statements of support as well as through capacity-building and academic initiatives to mainstream appreciation of international law,” the President said.

Bilateral meetings

On the sidelines of the Summit, Marcos said he will hold bilateral meetings with the Prime Ministers of Cambodia and New Zealand to further strengthen cooperation.

He is also set to meet with the Filipino community in Melbourne, and to promote Philippine business through the Philippine Business Forum led by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

Marcos will be present during the launching of the expansion of the Victoria International Container Terminal, which is Australia’s first fully automated container terminal.

The Chief Executive also said he will deliver a keynote speech at the Lowy Institute where he will highlight “the Philippines’ role as an active participant in world affairs and a contributor to the rules-based regional security architecture.”

“This administration continues to ensure that our constructive engagements with ASEAN, our external partners, and stakeholders, will best serve our national interest inasmuch as we promote the region’s peace, stability, security, and prosperity for the well-being of the Filipino and all our region,” Marcos added.

According to DFA Assistant Secretary Daniel Espiritu, the Special Summit presents an opportunity for the government to show the Philippines' core position on regional and international issues.

He also said Marcos could encourage Australia to remain committed to the peaceful resolution of disputes and to maintain respect for the rules-based international order.

During his state visit to Canberra last week, Marcos said Australia remains and will continue to be one of the Philippines' closest friends. He also sought its support in addressing challenges in the Indo-Pacific region.

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. — VDV/KG, GMA Integrated News