The governments of the Philippines and Germany reaffirmed their commitment to promoting rules-based international order as they agreed to expand collaboration between the two countries “to contribute to the broader global community.”
In a joint press conference, President Marcos said he had a “productive and insightful” bilateral meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Tuesday in Berlin where they discussed the “importance of advancing peace and development” in the Philippines.
“As like-minded partners, we reaffirmed our commitment promoting the rules-based international order, extending our commitment beyond our own regions to contribute to the broader global community,” President Marcos said.
The President said the Philippine government has also expressed its openness to discussions on cooperation with Germany that goes beyond training and into new areas such as cyber and maritime domains.
He also thanked Germany for its continued support to the capacity-building of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).
Germany has been providing training for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) since 1974, making it the country’s second oldest formal defense partner.
Before leaving for Germany on Monday, President Marcos said he has signed the Joint Declaration of Intent on Strengthening Cooperation in the Maritime Sector between the Philippines and Germany’s transport agencies.
The President said he is heartened by the increased interest in enhancing maritime cooperation between the Philippines and Germany, welcoming more initiatives to enrich the partnership between the two countries.
He also extended his gratitude to Scholz for his continued support for international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) as he reiterated the Philippines’ stand on protecting its sovereignty.
“Our shared commitment to international law strengthens our partnership and creates a favorable atmosphere for working together on global issues,” President Marcos said.
“I reiterated that the Philippines remains committed to addressing issues through dialogue and consultation, yet the Philippines, like any sovereign state, will continue to firmly defend its sovereignty, its sovereign rights, and jurisdiction, in accordance with international law,” he added.
Before concluding his speech, the President assured Scholz of the Philippines’ continued support on Ukraine issues as he reiterated the country’s call on concerned parties to seek a peaceful and diplomatic resolution to the conflict.
He also highlighted the Philippine government’s concerns over Filipinos caught in the conflict in the Middle East, saying the government continues to urge all parties to exert restraint to prevent escalation and to work towards a peaceful resolution of the conflict.
President Marcos described his meeting with Scholz as “fruitful and enriching” as he expressed his heartfelt appreciation to the German government and its people for their gracious hospitality to him and First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos along with the Philippine delegation.
“I eagerly anticipate the continuation of our strong partnership for another 70 years or more. With confidence, I believe we can deepen our relationship and collaborate for mutual prosperity of both our countries,” he added.
The meeting between President Marcos and Scholz coincided with the 70th anniversary of Philippines-Germany diplomatic relations, which was formally established on October 8, 1954. PND
