President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. arrived in Melbourne, Australia on Sunday evening to participate in the 50th ASEAN-Australia Special Summit.
In a report from the Philippine News Agency (PNA), Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese extended the invitation to commemorate 50 years of ASEAN-Australia Relations.
During the Summit, Marcos will be attending several engagements, including the Leaders’ Plenary and the Leaders’ Retreat, where he will assess the ASEAN-Australia cooperation, suggest ways to further strengthen relations, and exchange insights on crucial issues affecting the region and the world.
Additionally, the president will hold bilateral meetings with Prime Ministers Samdech Hun Manet of Cambodia and Christopher Mark Luxon of New Zealand. He is also scheduled to meet with the Filipino community in Melbourne to promote investments through the Philippine Business Forum led by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
Formal diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Australia were established on July 4, 1946. With approximately 408,000 Filipinos and Australians of Filipino descent residing in Australia, Marcos emphasized the government’s commitment to maintaining constructive engagements with ASEAN.
Moreover, he underscored the importance of stakeholders serving the country’s national interests and advancing peace, stability, security, and prosperity in the region for the benefit of the Filipino people and the broader community.
