PHNOM PENH– Prime Minister Hun Manet made his first official visit to the Philippines on February 10-11 at the invitation of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., marking his first trip to the country since taking office in 2023. As a key outcome of the visit, Cambodia and the Philippines strengthened their ties by signing eight agreements across key sectors, with both leaders reaffirming their commitment to fostering peace, prosperity, and economic growth through mutual understanding, trade, and investment.
They also pledged to enhance business exchanges, positioning both nations as prime destinations for new opportunities.
The eight Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) signed covers critical areas such as tax enforcement, agriculture, tourism, digital transformation, investment, and technical vocational education.
The first agreement focuses on eliminating double taxation on income while preventing fiscal evasion and avoidance. Additionally, the Council for the Development of Cambodia and the Philippine Board of Investments signed a Memorandum of Intent (MoI) to promote investment between the two countries.
Other agreements include measures to prevent the theft and illegal trafficking of cultural property, strengthen cooperation in agriculture and agribusiness, enforce competition laws, boost tourism, enhance technical and vocational education, and advance digital transformation and information and communications technology collaboration.
Almost 7 Decades of Bilateral Friendship
Prime Minister Manet expressed satisfaction with the newly signed MoUs and strengthened cooperation, highlighting the steady growth across multiple sectors—including trade, investment, security, and people-to-people exchanges—over 68 years of diplomatic relations.
“President Marcos and I just concluded productive discussions and witnessed the exchange of eight agreements and MOUs, serving as a concrete step to further increase our interactions,” he said. “We are committed to taking our cooperation to new heights.”
President Marcos described Manet’s visit as a testament to the milestones achieved in over six decades of friendship and progress between Cambodia and ASEAN. He emphasized the importance of continued exchanges to build resilience and foster growth.
“As we look forward to celebrating the 70th anniversary of our diplomatic relations in 2027, Prime Minister Hun Manet and I have agreed to continue working together in a manner befitting our nation's friendship and reflective of our vision for the improved peace, prosperity, and well-being of all our peoples in the region,” he said.
Kin Phea, director-general of the International Relations Institute of the Royal Academy of Cambodia, noted that bilateral relations between Cambodia and the Philippines have significantly improved, with consistent and reciprocal cooperation, particularly among senior leaders in the political and security sectors.
“However, the trade and investment sector between the two ASEAN countries is not yet as significant as neighboring and other ASEAN countries,” he said.
In 2024, Cambodia’s trade volume with ASEAN member states rose by 12.4 percent to $15.69 billion, with Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia ranking as its top five ASEAN trading partners.
President Marcos highlighted efforts to strengthen economic ties by addressing double taxation and exchanging best practices in competition law to encourage bilateral investments and economic activities.
“I’m confident that through this engagement, we will see more Filipinos investing in Cambodia and more Cambodians investing in the Philippines,” he said. “To our friends from Cambodia, I wish to reiterate that the Philippines is open for business, and we welcome the opportunity to partner and achieve greater commercial success with you.”
Prime Minister Manet echoed this sentiment, emphasizing Cambodia’s commitment to fostering strong engagement through trade missions, business forums, and trade fairs. He underscored the untapped potential and investment opportunities available for Filipino investors and entrepreneurs.
“The Filipino community in Cambodia plays an important role in our socio-economic development. It is to ensure a welcoming and supportive environment for our Filipino friends,” he said.
The Royal Academy’s Phea also expressed hope that the Philippines would increase its rice imports from Cambodia to meet its growing domestic demand. President Marcos acknowledged Cambodia’s role in ensuring food security.
“I am pleased that we have agreed to pursue stronger collaboration in agriculture and agribusiness,” he said. “Accordingly, I express my hope for both Filipinos and Cambodians in the agricultural sector to actively participate in various programs.”
To address climate change-related rice shortages, the Philippines reduced its rice tariff from 35 percent to 15 percent in June 2023, increasing imports from Vietnam, Thailand, and Pakistan.
Prime Minister Manet reaffirmed Cambodia’s readiness to support the Philippines’ food security needs, not only through rice supply but also by providing other essential food products.
“I look forward to continuing work with President Marcos to expand our partnership and mutual prosperity and hope to welcome Mr. President to Cambodia in the very near future,” he said.
Currently, over 7,000 Filipinos live and work in Cambodia. In December, King Norodom Sihamoni granted clemency to 13 Filipinos convicted of surrogacy-related offenses. They were subsequently repatriated to the Philippines. Cambodia has banned surrogacy under a 2008 law.
