Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos assured that the Philippines remains committed to fostering relations with Cambodia during a bilateral meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Sok Chenda Sophea on August 27 in the Philippines.

At the meeting, Marcos emphasised the importance of continuous dialogue and cooperation with Cambodia and other ASEAN member states, according to a press release issued on the same day by the Philippine presidential office.      

“I hope we can continue this. We will foster this relationship and continue to improve the relationship that we have had for many, many years,” the press release quoted Marcos as saying. 

Marcos also noted that the Philippines continues to pursue partnerships and cooperation with other allied states across the globe. 

Chenda Sophea visited the Philippines from August 27-28 to co-chair the fourth meeting of the Cambodia-Philippines Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC) with Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs secretary Enrique Manalo.

The two-day meeting aimed to assess the progress in implementing agreements reached during the third JCBC meeting in late 2021. 

“The two countries have maintained cordial ties since the resumption of diplomatic relations in 1995,” the press release noted. 

During the JCBC meeting, Manalo and Chenda Sophea highlighted the deepening bilateral relations between the two countries and encouraged ongoing exchanges and interactions among high-level officials. They also aimed for increased bilateral trade and tourism flows, according to an August 27 press release from the Philippine foreign affairs department.

“They also committed to strengthening cooperation in areas such as defence and security, combating transnational crime, tourism, culture and sports, and to exploring other areas for deeper engagement, including health, environment and energy,” it stated.

The release noted that the two ministers looked forward to further enhancing bilateral relations through the signing of a double tax avoidance agreement later this year. They also committed to “expediting the finalisation of agreements on agriculture, labour, technical and vocational education and the prevention of looting and illicit trafficking of cultural artifacts within the year”.

It noted that Manalo and Chenda Sophea exchanged views on pressing regional and international issues, such as the situation in the South China Sea, Myanmar and Gaza, and reaffirmed their commitment to advancing peace and stability in the region.

“I am optimistic that the strengthening of our bilateral relations will benefit our peoples and the rest of the region. 

“I reaffirm the Philippines’ commitment to remain a steadfast partner of Cambodia and to work closely to promote peace and prosperity in the region,” Manalo was quoted as saying in the press release.