QUEZON CITY (PIA) -- President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. concludes a successful trip to Thailand for his first Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit.

During the three-day summit, the President had the chance to relay his sentiments and plans on different global issues, particularly on the economy. He also had opportunities to personally discuss with several global leaders.

CHINA
For the first time, President Marcos Jr. met with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The President described the quick bilateral meeting as “a very pleasant exchange.” Strengthening and expanding the Philippines-China relationship was the main focus of the meeting. The two leaders discussed agriculture, energy, infrastructure, and people-to-people connections. President Marcos Jr. is expected to meet President Xi in China early next year.

THAILAND
Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha also met with the Filipino leader. Aside from the country’s leader, PBBM gets additional investments from one of the leading Thai conglomerates, CP Group.

The company has pledged to make additional investments in the Philippines in aquaculture, rice, and swine production. In relation, the President pledged to improve the aquaculture industry in the Philippines. He made this remark in his meeting with Aboitiz Group president and CEO and APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) PH member Sabin Aboitiz and company upon his arrival to Thailand.

Another Thai business that plans to expand its business in the Philippines is the Siam Cement Group (SCG) to show support to the administration’s infrastructure and development projects.

Several Thai industries in infrastructure, transportation, tourism, and food security also expressed interest in investing in the Philippines. This was confirmed after Kriengkrai Thiennukul, chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries made the commitment during the roundtable discussion with Thai business leaders and PBBM's economic team.

SAUDI ARABIA
PBBM invited Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman for a state visit to the Philippines, giving them more time to discuss a wide range of issues and areas of cooperation.

Prior to the visit, the Philippines already received great news that the Saudi Arabia government will shoulder the unpaid salaries of around 10,000 Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who worked for Saudi construction companies that declared bankruptcy in 2015 and 2016. These companies were OGer, MMG, and Bin Laden group.

It was accepted by PBBM saying it was the “best gift” for OFWs.

In addition, the President shared that there will be a new opportunity for the Philippines to send more workers overseas with its new massive development plan as the Kingdom expands its economy.

FRANCE
Agriculture, energy, and defense were the points of discussion during the bilateral meeting between PBBM and French President Emmanuel Macron.

France is one of the top players in these key areas, thus, it is just necessary to tackle this related issues with President Macron. The two leaders are also expected to visit each other’s country in the future.

NEW ZEALAND

Another leader the President exchanged ideas with was New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. The meeting highlights the strengthened cooperation between the Philippines and New Zealand on better trade and security efforts. Another topic touched on during the bilateral meeting are the plans for collaboration, as well as new innovations in farming to increase sustainability and productivity. The Prime Minister also expressed commitment to improving the welfare and addressing the needs of OFWs. The two agreed on their commitment to empower Filipino migrant workers and enhance their capacity to respond to their needs.

AUSTRALIA
After a brief meeting during the Australia-ASEAN Summit, PBBM and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese met again for a bilateral meeting at this year's APEC Summit. The two leaders agreed that the countries have good economic and people-to-people relations.

During the meeting, the President raised that the Philippines will be in a better position in resolving pressing challenges amid tense regional geopolitical situations if it develops strong partnerships with like-minded nations. In response, the PM suggested the need to cooperate with China in resolving major issues.

The meeting concluded with the plan that the Philippines and Australia can collaborate further on agriculture and energy as well as other areas of concern. In addition, Albanese expressed support for Marcos Jr.’s stance on the climate crisis, highlighting that it is one of the biggest global challenges nowadays.

The APEC Summit seemed like a continuation of the ASEAN trip of PBBM and his economic team. These international summits served as a channel for the President to present the Philippines under his administration. For a first-timer, the President deemed the visit as “successful.”

Aside from the expected discussions on the economy, the President had a chance to reiterate his stance on several regional and global issues – climate crisis, food security, and others.

Before the end of the year, the President is expected to attend the ASEAN-EU Summit in Brussels. The summit will begin on December 14, 2022. (MVV/PIA – CPSD)

Photos from Office of the Press Secretary Facebook page