Charting a shared course: New Zealand, the Philippines and ASEAN

Two years ago, the Royal New Zealand Navy's HMNZS Aotearoa sailed into Philippine waters, for the first time, on a mission of goodwill.

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Tomorrow, she returns, carrying the same spirit of friendship and practical cooperation that continues to define our relationship.

At the regional level, New Zealand's Prime Minister Christopher Luxon recently concluded his visit to Kuala Lumpur. At the ASEAN Summit, we celebrated 50 years of partnership with leaders, including President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. The Summit was a fitting reminder of how deeply our futures are tied to this region.

These two moments, one at sea and one at the summit table, tell a common story - New Zealand's enduring commitment to the Indo-Pacific, and to the partners who share our vision for a secure, prosperous and resilient future.

Here in Manila, since arriving in 2024, I've seen that commitment come to life in practical ways. The pace of our cooperation with the Philippines has been remarkable. It reflects a high tempo of engagement set in motion during our Prime Minister's visit to Manila last year.

During that visit we agreed to work toward elevating our relationship to a Comprehensive Partnership by 2026.

We are on track - across defense and security, trade and investment, clean energy, agriculture, education and people-to-people links.