Marcos, New Zealand’s top diplomat tackle defense deals

New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters pays a courtesy call to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at Malacañang Palace on Tuesday, June 11, 2024. Ryan Baldemor, PPA pool

Katrina Domingo

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:900px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1718097094475viber_image_2024-06-11_16-08-06-457.jpg" style="width:900px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left"><span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(51, 51, 51);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none">New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters pays a courtesy call to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at Malacañang Palace on Tuesday, June 11, 2024. Ryan Baldemor, PPA pool</span> </span></span></span></div><div><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday welcomed New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters in Malacañang as the two countries bolstered their defense cooperation amid China’s growing aggression in the West Philippine Sea.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Among the topics discussed was the drafting of a Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA), which would allow the troops of both countries to enter the territory of the other.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“New Zealand and Philippines are continuing to elevate our relationship,” Peters said in a statement, adding that the two nations “agreed in April 2024 to lift our relationship to a Comprehensive Partnership by 2026.”</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“Our visit to Manila this week has been an excellent early opportunity to make progress towards this goal,” he said.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">In April, New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon flew to Manila for an official visit to tackle joint policies that could address &quot;common threats at sea.”</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/4/18/ph-eyes-comprehensive-maritime-cooperation-with-new-zealand-1920">PH eyes &#x27;comprehensive maritime cooperation&#x27; with New Zealand</a><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br/></div><div><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Ahead of Peters’ courtesy visit in Malacañang, Manila and Wellington had inked a Mutual Logistics Supporting Arrangement between the New Zealand Defense Force and the Philippines Department of National Defense, and discussed arrangements to improve the ease of doing business between the two countries.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">While in Manila, Peters also announced the establishment of a $8.6-million development initiative “to improve the lives of indigenous women and girls in Mindanao” through “more representative decision-making systems and stronger resource management processes.”</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">New Zealand will also contribute $245,000 to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Center for Biodiversity, the foreign minister said.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Peters’ visit to Manila is part of his 4-country trip to Southeast Asia, where he is also expected to forge closer ties with Vietnam, Malaysia and Timor Leste.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/4/21/inspired-by-new-zealand-leader-marcos-jr-orders-fast-food-113">Inspired by New Zealand leader, Marcos Jr. orders fast food</a></span></div><div><br/></div>

<p>President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday welcomed New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters in Malacañang as the two countries bolstered their defense cooperation. </p>

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday welcomed New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters in Malacañang as the two countries bolstered their defense cooperation.

Marcos, New Zealand’s top diplomat tackle defense deals in Palace meeting | ABS-CBN

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Marcos, New Zealand’s top diplomat tackle defense deals in Palace meeting

Marcos, New Zealand’s top diplomat tackle defense deals in Palace meeting

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jun 11, 2024 05:24 PM PHT

Read More:

Bongbong Marcos

New Zealand

Winston Peters

defense

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