Malacañan Palace
February 11, 2025
As a testament to their commitment to elevating the growing cooperation between the two countries, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Prime Minister Hun Manet of the Kingdom of Cambodia presented eight (8) signed agreements during the Leaders’ Statement following a bilateral meeting in Malacañan Palace.
“Today, in the spirit of this steadfast friendship, Prime Minister Hun Manet and I have discussed ways to maximize our cooperation and explore new opportunities to deepen our bilateral ties,” said President Marcos Jr.
During the Leaders’ Statement, the President shared several cooperation agreements signed between the two countries, particularly in key areas such as trade and investment, agriculture, education, tourism and communications, as well as their shared commitments to combat transnational crime.
Both leaders also acknowledged the progress made in military cooperation and the ongoing partnership between their uniformed services. “I anticipate the continued exchange of best practices to support our mutual aspirations for regional peace and security,” President Marcos Jr. added.
On the economic front, the Philippines and Cambodia formalized cooperation to avoid double taxation and share best practices in competition law, which are crucial for fostering bilateral investments.
The two leaders also agreed to pursue stronger collaboration in agriculture and agribusiness, recognizing Cambodia as an important partner in ensuring food security. Additionally, they formalized cooperation in technical vocational education and training (TVET) and agreed on an Implementation Program for Tourism Cooperation from 2024 to 2028 aimed at enhancing people-to-people ties.
The leaders renewed their commitment to preventing the looting and trafficking of cultural properties, pledging to safeguard their rich cultural heritage for future generations. Furthermore, they welcomed formal collaboration in information and communications technology (ICT) and government digital transformation.
In his remarks, Prime Minister Hun Manet expressed his gratitude for the warm reception and reiterated his support for strengthening diplomatic cooperation with the Philippines.
“We are identifying new opportunities to boost trade and investment flows in agriculture. Cambodia stands ready to contribute to the Philippine food security through rice supply as well as many other food products… Our multilateral cooperations underline the importance of upholding Asian unity and centrality, especially at times of complex and geopolitical dynamics,” he said.
In closing, the Prime Minister expressed support to the Philippines’ Chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in 2026 and extended an invitation for President Marcos Jr. to visit Cambodia.
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