Marcos Jr., Cambodia PM seek to elevate bilateral ties

MANILA, Philippines —  President Marcos is set to meet Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet on Tuesday to discuss strategies for enhancing ties between the two Southeast Asian nations.

Hun will make his first official visit to the Philippines on Feb. 10 and 11, according to a statement released by the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) on Friday night.

The Cambodian leader will hold a bilateral meeting with Marcos at Malacañang to tackle “advancing cooperation in combating transnational crimes, defense, trade, tourism, regional and multilateral cooperation,” the PCO said.

The two leaders previously met on the sidelines of the 50th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Special Summit in Melbourne, Australia in March last year.

During their meeting, the President expressed Manila’s interest in engaging with Phnom Penh in the agriculture sector, particularly in rice trade.

Cambodia’s Deputy Prime Minister Sok Chenda Sophea also met Marcos at Malacañang in August last year.

To boost economic collaboration, Finance Secretary Ralph Recto announced in November 2023 that the Philippines and Cambodia would sign a double taxation agreement in February 2025.

Under the terms of the agreement, the two countries agreed to mitigate the burden of double taxation on individuals and businesses operating across borders, which may contribute to trade and investment barriers and encourage cross-border economic activities.

Currently, more than 7,000 Filipinos live and work in Cambodia, most of whom belong to the skilled labor sector, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs.

In November 2022, Marcos visited Cambodia to participate in the 40th and 41st ASEAN summits.

The Philippines and Cambodia formally established diplomatic relations on Aug. 20, 1957.

However, on March 18, 1975, the Philippine government closed its embassy in Phnom Penh as the fall of the Lon Nol government to the Khmer Rouge became imminent.