Czech PM to visit Manila
CZECH Prime Minister Petr Fiala is set to meet President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. when he visits the Philippines early next week to discuss a wide range of issues, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.
This marks an important milestone in the diplomatic relations between the two countries, as Manila and Prague prepare to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations on October 5, the DFA said.
The two leaders will discuss issues of mutual interest with the view of strengthening the bilateral relationship, including defense cooperation, trade and investment, university linkages, judicial cooperation, and labor cooperation. They will also exchange views on regional and international issues of common concern.
Marcos and Fiala met in December 2022 in Brussels on the sidelines of the commemorative summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the European Union (EU).
They discussed cooperation in the security sector in the context of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) modernization program. Philippine and Czech officials convened the Joint Defense Committee for the first time in 2019.
The Philippines attaches high importance to its ties with the Czech Republic and the members of the EU and endeavors to advance these ties across political, economic, and security areas. The Philippines’ relations with European states, including with the Czech Republic, are energized by mutual interests in upholding democracy and freedom, rule of law, peace and stability, and human rights.
DFA said that Manila is “committed to fostering vibrant and meaningful cooperation between ASEAN and the EU” as the ASEAN coordinator of the dialogue partnership until 2024.
Meaningful connections between the Filipino and Czech nations find historical inspiration in the visits of the first Jesuits and scientific expeditions to the Philippines from the European continent, the famed friendship between Dr. Jose P. Rizal and Prof. Ferdinand Blumentritt, and the shared heroism of Filipinos and citizens of then Czechoslovakia fighting alongside each other in the battle of Bataan during the Second World War, the foreign affairs department said in a statement.
