Marcos holds bilateral meetings with world leaders on ASEAN Summit sidelines

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. met with leaders of Cambodia, Thailand, Canada, Japan, and the European Union on the sidelines of the 47th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Malaysia on Sunday, discussing partnerships moving forward.

In a statement released Sunday evening, Malacañang said Marcos met with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, where the President affirmed the Philippines’ support for the peaceful resolution of the Thai-Cambodian conflict through dialogue and compliance with international law.

“President Marcos was pleased to see development in the conflict resolution, especially the signing of the Terms of Reference of the ASEAN Observer Team,” the statement read.

The leaders of Thailand and Cambodia, in the presence of US President Donald Trump, on Sunday signed an enhanced ceasefire deal to bring an end to their deadly five-day border conflict, building on the truce reached three months ago when Trump called the then-leaders of the countries to end hostilities.

“For his part, Prime Minister Hun Manet expressed Cambodia’s strong support for the Philippines’ upcoming ASEAN Chairmanship in 2026,” Malacañang said.

The Philippines is set to host the ASEAN Summit in 2026, with the country set to focus on discussions regarding peace and security, maritime cooperation, and climate change for the summit.

During his meeting with Thailand Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, Malacañang said Marcos conveyed his condolences to the Thai people on the passing of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, while Thailand expressed support for the upcoming ASEAN Chairmanship.

“Both leaders affirmed their commitment to work closely to boost tourism, trade and investments, as well as engagements with the private sector,” Malacañang said.

With his bilateral meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Joseph Carney, Marcos expressed his gratitude for Canada’s support for the Philippines and the shared values on the rules-based international order, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

“President Marcos and Prime Minister Carney committed to boost cooperation on trade, investment and energy, as well as to continue engagement in ASEAN,” Malacañang said.

Marcos likewise met with European Council António Costa, where the two leaders cited the importance of continued engagement and collaboration in trade, and the need to strengthen the international rules-based order.

He also held his first bilateral meeting with Japan’s newly elected Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae, where they discussed the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the normalization of the diplomatic relations between the two countries in 2026.

Marcos is currently in Kuala Lumpur to attend the 47th ASEAN Summit. Aside from attending bilateral meetings on the sidelines, he is also set to formally accept the chairmanship for 2026.—LDF, GMA Integrated News