President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. renewed the Philippines' "strong and sincere" friendship with Malaysia on Wednesday.
Marcos stated during his toast remarks at the official dinner hosted for Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim that the Malaysian leader's visit to Manila is a reaffirmation of the two countries' commitment to strengthen bilateral ties.
Marcos expressed confidence that Manila and Kuala Lumpur's long-standing friendship would enable them to overcome current and future challenges such as "geopolitical upheavals, supply disruptions, and inflation."
According to the Presidential communications Office (PCO), the President was overjoyed that his meeting with Anwar resulted in a commitment to strengthen bilateral cooperation in key areas such as trade and investment.
He also stated that he was looking forward to working with Malaysia to reclaim the growth that the two countries had lost due to the pandemic.
Marcos also wished Malaysia "longevity and prosperity."
Anwar and Marcos first met in 2018.
This is, however, their first meeting as state leaders, making Anwar as Marcos' first official guest, emphasizing Malaysia's significance as the country's Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) neighbor.
Aside from being founding members of ASEAN, the two countries have deep bilateral ties and a long history of friendship, dating back millennia, with interactions between their peoples.
Malaysia and the Philippines have joined forces to create a more peaceful and secure region by conducting joint patrols to combat transnational crime at sea.
Meanwhile, Malaysia has also served as a third-party mediator in the Philippine government's peace process with Muslim separatists in Mindanao, which has contributed to significant progress in the region's peace and stability.
