Jakarta, Indonesia
September 6, 2023

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. held a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada ahead of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) – Canada Summit at the Jakarta Convention Center (JCC) in Jakarta, Indonesia.

In their meeting, the two leaders discussed the deepening people-to-people ties between the Philippines and Canada, especially the thriving Philippine-Canadian diaspora.

Recognizing how Canada has been very hospitable to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and Filipino immigrants, the President assured the Prime Minister of his commitment to deepen and promote the increased bilateral relationship between their two countries.

“Your shift towards the Asia Pacific, Indo-Pacific now, is significant and shows really where the economies, how the economies are evolving… I cannot see any obstacles to our continually and deepening relations,” the Chief Executive said.

In May 2023, Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly paid President Marcos Jr. a courtesy call, where she sought his support for the ASEAN-Canada Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations and in elevating Canada’s dialogue relations with the ASEAN to a strategic-level partnership.

In 2024, the Philippines and Canada will celebrate 75 years of diplomatic relations, an occasion both leaders are looking forward to commemorating.

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