President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. announced that the Philippines and Canada have elevated their bilateral relations to a Strategic Partnership following his meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in Vancouver.
The announcement was made Thursday, Canada time, after Marcos and Carney met at the Vancouver Convention Centre to discuss the two countries’ expanding cooperation across defense, security, trade, and regional affairs.
“We have tasked our Foreign Ministers to draw up a Plan of Action to pursue our shared commitment to work together in adapting to shifting global realities, addressing shared challenges, and building capacities for a future-ready partnership,” President Marcos said during a joint press statement with Carney.
“We recognize that robust defense and security cooperation underpins the strong momentum of our relations. Recent milestones in this pillar underscore the shared commitment of our countries in ensuring that our peoples continue to live in a peaceful and secure region,” he added.
Marcos said he and Carney welcomed the signing of the status of agreement in Manila, which is awaiting ratification from the respective legislatures, as well as the signing of the Mutual Logistics Support Arrangement and the Statement of Intent on Strengthening Defense Cooperation between the Philippines and Canada.
The President said the Strategic Partnership reflects not only the depth of relations between the two countries, but also the reliability of their partnership.
He said he and Carney also underscored the importance of peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific, as well as Canada’s increasing engagement in the region under its Indo-Pacific Strategy.
Marcos thanked Canada for its Dark Vessel Detection Program, which was deployed to the Philippines to help combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing and improve maritime domain awareness.
The President also requested continued Philippine access to the Dark Vessel Detection Program for the next five years.
As the Philippines marks the 10th anniversary of the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal Award on the South China Sea, Marcos expressed gratitude to Canada for consistently supporting a rules-based order in the South China Sea under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and for upholding the legally binding arbitral award.
Marcos also recognized the contributions of the one million-strong Filipino community in Canada, saying they “serve as the heart and soul of the Strategic Partnership between the Philippines and Canada.”
A strategic partnership between countries is a long-term diplomatic framework intended to deepen cooperation across key areas, including defense, economics, technology, and politics.