2 July 2026 20:45 UTC · Prime Minister of Canada · PMO News Release · Source · Email X Link

Prime Minister Mark Carney announces Strategic Partnership with Philippines

Key points

Agreed to elevate ties to a Strategic Partnership
Mandated foreign ministers to implement priorities across key sectors

TL;DR

Leaders agreed to elevate Canada-Philippines ties to a Strategic Partnership and tasked foreign ministers to implement it across priority sectors.
Priority sectors include energy (especially nuclear), critical minerals, defence, cyber, maritime security, and food security; leaders aim to conclude a Canada-Philippines free trade agreement this year.
Carney and Marcos discussed deeper ASEAN cooperation, welcomed the Philippines as 2026 ASEAN Chair, and exchanged invitations for regional summits in Vancouver and Manila.

Original text

Today, the Prime Minister, Mark Carney, met with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., during his official visit to Canada – the first by a Filipino head of state in 11 years. Prime Minister Carney and President Marcos underscored the strength of the Canada-Philippines partnership, rooted in deep ties between our citizens, including a vibrant Filipino Canadian community of approximately one million people. The leaders agreed to elevate these ties to a Strategic Partnership. To that end, they mandated their respective foreign ministers to advance the new partnership’s implementation across key priority sectors, including energy – especially nuclear – critical minerals, defence, cyber, maritime security, and food security. Both leaders emphasised the importance of expanding trade and investment to support economic growth and supply chain resilience, redoubling efforts to conclude a Canada-Philippines free trade agreement this year. Prime Minister Carney and President Marcos Jr. discussed deepening regional cooperation through the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The Prime Minister welcomed the Philippines’ role as 2026 ASEAN Chair and looked forward to continued collaboration, including at upcoming regional summits. The leaders reaffirmed their shared commitment to accelerating negotiations on a Canada-ASEAN free trade agreement as a priority deliverable under the Philippines’ ASEAN Chairship. Building on growing collaboration in energy and critical resources, the leaders discussed opportunities to deepen cooperation in clean energy, liquefied natural gas, critical minerals, food security, and nuclear energy, including through the Canada-Philippines Energy and Resources Roundtable. The Prime Minister and the President noted the rapid expansion of defence and security ties between the two countries. They discussed opportunities to further strengthen collaboration in areas such as maritime security, defence production, and information-sharing. President Marcos Jr. thanked Prime Minister Carney for welcoming him to Vancouver and extended an invitation for the Prime Minister to attend the ASEAN Summit in Manila, in November. The leaders agreed to remain in close contact and to advance a stronger, more ambitious partnership between Canada and the Philippines. Canada-Philippines relations

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Association Of Southeast Asian Nations (asean)