Brunei’s monarch Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah on Tuesday committed to “further strengthen” its ties with the Philippines to “protect and safeguard our common aspiration.”

marcos 05292024

Katrina Domingo

ABS-CBN News

<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fphoto.php%3Ffbid%3D1005491600945420%26set%3Da.401901401304446%26type%3D3&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=500&amp;is_preview=true" width="500" height="250" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><p>BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN — Brunei’s monarch Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah on Tuesday committed to “further strengthen” its ties with the Philippines to “protect and safeguard our common aspiration.”</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/5/28/ph-brunei-cooperation-vital-in-keeping-peace-stability-in-indo-pacific-marcos-jr-731" id="isPasted" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">PH-Brunei cooperation vital in keeping peace, stability in Indo-Pacific: Marcos Jr.</a></div><p>Bolkiah — who has ruled Brunei for nearly 60 years — gave the statement during the state banquet the Sultanate hosted for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. who is here for a 2-day state visit.</p><p>“Brunei Darussalam is committed to further strengthen these important relations to protect and safeguard our common aspiration,” the Sultan said.</p><p>“I am pleased that the documents signed during your visit will further contribute to our countries’ continued growth and development,” he said.</p><p>“These agreements paved the way for cooperation in maritime, agri, and tourism sectors which will bring significant benefits for both our nations,” he added.</p><div><ivs-player data-ivs-key="e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603" data-ivs-spid="3001339" data-ivs-vid="3046398"></ivs-player></div><script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js"></script><p>The “enduring ties” that the Philippines and Brunei “enjoy at all levels today truly reflects our shared history and accomplishment,” Bolkiah said, noting that bilateral relations began during the administration of late President Ferdinand Marcos Sr.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/5/28/philippines-brunei-to-boost-maritime-cooperation-with-skills-training-info-sharing-1623" id="isPasted" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Philippines, Brunei to boost maritime cooperation with skills training, info sharing</a></div><p>“I also fondly remember your first visit here in 1984 when you accompanied your late father, President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., during the Inaugural Day celebration,” the Sultan told Marcos Jr.</p><p>“Since then, our countries have cooperated closely in education, health, and people to people exchanges,” he said.</p><p>“Your visit is a testament to a strong friendship and close relations since our diplomatic relations were established 40 years ago,” he said.</p><p>Meantime, Marcos Jr. underscored the importance of his state visit at a time when the two Southeast Asian nations are “faced by many global challenges.”</p><p>“The signing of the memoranda of understanding that we have witnessed today are a significant step as we have made arrangements and partnerships and alliances in many very different sectors, all of which terribly important,” the President said.</p><p>“All of these will now be a birth of new time together for Brunei and the Philippines,” he said.</p><p>Among these agreements is a memorandum on maritime cooperation, including joint skills training and the information sharing between the two countries.</p><p>The Philippines and Brunei both have claims in the South China Sea, a resource-rich waterway which China has been illegally claiming as almost entirely theirs.</p><p>While Manila has been a vocal critic of Beijing’s sweeping claims in the South China Sea, several analysts have regarded Bandar Seri Begawan as a “silent claimant” of the strategic waterway, where trillions-worth of seaborne goods pass through annually.</p><p>But in 2020, Brunei’s Foreign Ministry issued a rare statement on the South China Sea amid China’s continued illegal incursions in the strategic waterway, saying that “negotiations on the South China Sea should be resolved in accordance with the 1982 UNCLOS and the rules and principles of international law.”</p><p>“As we forge our way ahead, I am very happy to know that Brunei Darussalam and the Royal family and the Sultan are with us by our side,” Marcos Jr. said.</p><p>“It gives us a very optimistic view of the future.”</p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bMcDd5oIXvw?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div>

<p>Brunei’s monarch Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah on Tuesday committed to “further strengthen” its ties with the Philippines to “protect and safeguard our common aspiration.”</p>

Brunei to strengthen ties with PH to 'protect common aspirations' | ABS-CBN

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Brunei to strengthen ties with PH to 'protect common aspirations'

Brunei to strengthen ties with PH to 'protect common aspirations'

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 29, 2024 09:12 AM PHT

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Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Hassanal Bolkiah

Brunei

Brunei state visit

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