28-29 February 2024

Days before his scheduled participation to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) – Australia Special Summit in Melbourne, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. conducts a State Visit to Canberra, Australia from February 28 to 29, 2024.

According to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the President is undertaking a Guest of Government visit to Australia upon the invitation of Governor-General David Hurley. The visit is envisioned to further strengthen the existing bonds of cooperation between the two countries and enable discussions for new areas of cooperation, as both the Philippines and Australia look forward to celebrating 78 years of diplomatic relations later this year.

Highlighting his visit to Canberra is his anticipated address to the Parliament of Australia — an occasion previously accorded to leaders such as former United States of America (USA) Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush, and People’s Republic of China President Xi Jinping — where the Chief Executive is set to discuss the vision and future of the Philippines-Australia Strategic Partnership. He is the first Philippine President to ever speak before the Australian Parliament.

During this trip, he is set to have a formal exchange of views and insights on various areas of cooperation and regional issues with key Australian officials including Governor-General Hurley, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and other Australian leaders from the Parliament.

Since the establishment of formal relations in 1946, the Philippines and Australia have worked closely together towards enduring a close partnership grounded on the commitment to peace, stability and prosperity. In September 2023, President Marcos Jr. and Prime Minister Albanese signed a Joint Declaration elevating the Philippines-Australia relations from a Comprehensive Partnership to a Strategic Partnership, allowing the two countries to expand cooperation in various areas.

Australia deems the Philippines an important trade and investment partner, with the country’s economy growing at an average of 6% per year — said to be one of the fastest growing economies in Asia. In 2022, Australia’s two-way trade with the Philippines was recorded at AUD8.2 billion, making the country its 17th largest trading partner.

On defense and security, the two nations’ continuous engagement and collaboration span major global events, including the Second World War where the Australian military contributed to the liberation of the Philippines. This shared history fostered deeper collaboration on stability, maritime security, counterterrorism and cooperation against threats to regional security.

With the Philippines and Australia’s strong people-to-people links through trade and investment, cultural exchange, education, tourism and migration, there are now over 408,000 Filipinos in Australia to date, making them the 5th largest immigrant community in the country.

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