PH, France hold talks on bilateral relations
THE Philippines and France held their 4th Political Consultations, where they discussed the current state and future prospects of their bilateral relations.
Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Bilateral Relations and ASEAN Affairs Ma. Theresa Lazaro said the consultations covered a wide range of key issues, including trade and investment, energy, health, climate change, science and technology, defense, and people-to-people exchanges.
This reflects both countries’ commitment to strengthening their partnership and addressing shared challenges through deeper cooperation.
The Philippine delegation was led Lazaro, while the French side was led by Director for Asia and Oceania Benoît Guidée of France’s Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs.
They highlighted the visit of French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle in February 2025, underscoring the growing defense cooperation between the two nations.
The two heads of delegation also took note of the increasing frequency of high-level visits and engagements between the Philippines and France, and agreed to sustain this momentum in light of the resumption of direct flights between Manila and Paris.
France reaffirmed its support for the early conclusion of negotiations towards a comprehensive, balanced, and modern PH-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
The two officials also committed to strengthen development cooperation on infrastructure, maritime affairs, and environment.
They also diacussed on regional and global issues and the latest developments in the West Philippine Sea, ASEAN, Ukraine, and the Middle East.
