Australia-Philippines new strategic partnership to strengthen bilateral ties — PM Albanese

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said that a new strategic agreement between his country and the Philippines will strengthen the relationship between the two countries.

Albanese said this during a meeting with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in Malacañang, where Marcos said that the close bond between the Philippines and Australia was "terribly important."

"The new strategic partnership that we will sign today will strengthen the bilateral ties that we've had for 77 years," Albanese told Marcos.

Albanese's trip to the Philippines is the first bilateral visit by an Australian leader in 20 years. This comes after a time of renewed conflict between the Philippines and China over waters in the South China Sea that both countries claim.

Albanese backed a 2016 decision by an arbitrator in the South China Sea that invalidated China's rights to a large part of the resource-rich waterway.

"Australia supports the 2016 South China Sea arbitral award. That is final and binding. And it is important that it be upheld going forward," Albanese said.

Marcos welcomed Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to Manila and expressed his gratitude for Australia's strong support for the Philippines in its territorial disputes with China.

In his opening remarks at the Philippines-Australia expanded bilateral meeting, Marcos said that the two countries have a long and strong history of cooperation and that he is committed to further strengthening their ties.

"We have solid bases here because absent all diplomatic, trade, et cetera agreements, the people-to-people exchanges between our two countries have been significant over the years," Marcos said.

"May I just add a word of thanks to you, Mr. Prime Minister, for the strong support that you have made for the Philippines, especially during the past ASEAN conference, where you have made very clear that the claims that are being made upon Philippine maritime territory are not valid and have not been recognized and not in conjunction or consistent with international law," Marcos added.

The Philippines-Australia expanded bilateral meeting is the first high-level meeting between the two countries since Marcos took office in June.

Malacañang said earlier that the meeting between Marcos and Albanese is expected to pave the way for a new era of closer cooperation across key sectors, such as defense and security, trade, economic development, and maritime affairs.