President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon recently reaffirmed their nations’ commitment to strengthening bilateral ties and pushing for free and fair trade during a phone call.
“Good to reconnect with President [Ferdinand Marcos] Jr. tonight, with the Philippines an important partner for New Zealand in Southeast Asia,” Luxon shared in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
The two leaders exchanged views on bolstering economic ties and continuing efforts to enhance cooperation between their countries. “We discussed how we can continue to work together to support free and fair trade,” Luxon added.
He also noted their shared interest in maintaining momentum in the partnership: “We checked in on the great work that our two countries are doing to take our relationship forward.”
Their conversation came amid heightened global trade tensions following the recent imposition of reciprocal tariffs by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Marcos and Luxon previously met in Manila a year ago, where they discussed upgrading their diplomatic relationship to a comprehensive partnership.
The Philippines and New Zealand first established diplomatic ties in 1966. The two countries are also moving toward closer defense cooperation, with Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. confirming an upcoming visiting forces agreement.
