The Philippines and the United Kingdom have agreed to bolster their maritime cooperation, British Secretary of State for Foreign Commonwealth and Development Affairs James Spencer Cleverly said Tuesday.
During his one-day visit to the Philippines, Cleverly signed a joint statement of intent to develop a framework agreement with his Filipino counterpart, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo.
“This is an exciting time for our relationship. Our UK-Philippines Enhanced Partnership benefits our people, including on climate, trade, science, and technology, and shared security,” he said in his speech before reporters at the Manila Diamond Hotel on Roxas Boulevard.
“Our relationship is founded on our shared values and shared belief in openness, freedom, and the rule of law,” he added.
Cleverly announced that the UK has agreed to broaden its maritime cooperation with the Philippines by sharing knowledge on maritime law, promoting maritime domain awareness, and advancing environmental protection.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. also had a meeting with Cleverly, with the Chief Executive noting the growing trade and investment ties between the two countries, as well as the increasing cooperation in areas such as climate change, security and defense.
In particular, Marcos said the security and defense cooperation between the Philippines and the United Kingdom is a “welcome evolution.”
Creating security ties and collaborations with the United Kingdom, according to Marcos, is “not traditional” for the Philippines.
“But that seems to be the evolution, the geopolitics these days. It is a welcome evolution in my view, and again your visit here, I think, is a clear indication of that intent,” the President said.
Marcos added that there has been a change in Europe’s post-pandemic focus toward Asia, particularly Southeast Asia, to start the economic reform process.
“We are not quite at pre-pandemic levels yet, but we are fast approaching that, and that, of course, is very important for us,” Marcos said.