Philippine foreign policy is based on the advancement of Filipino ideals and values, which include the advancement of democracy and advocacy for human rights worldwide.
The Philippines actively engages with regional neighbors in Southeast Asia through the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (as a founding member) with the intention of strengthening regional harmony, stability, and prosperity. It has been a supporter of East Timor since the latter's independence and has expanded trade links with its traditional allies Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand. Relations with Vietnam and Cambodia have thawed in the 1990s after their entry into the ASEAN.
The Republic of the Philippines considers itself a staunch ally of the United States and has supported many points of American foreign policy. This is evident in the Philippines' participation in the Iraq War and the War on Terror. Speaking to this support, U.S. PresidentGeorge W. Bush praised the Philippines as a bastion of democracy in the East and called the Philippines America's oldest ally in Asia. President Bush's speech on October 18, 2003, was only the second U.S. presidential address to the Philippine Congress; U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower delivered the first.
With a robust relationship to the United States, the administration of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo sought to establish closer ties to its earlier colonizer, Spain. This was inspired by the attendance of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofía at the June 12, 1998 celebration honoring the centennial of the Philippines' independence from Spain. President Macapagal-Arroyo made two official visits to Spain during her presidency.
In recent years, the Philippines attaches great importance in its relations with China, and has established significant cooperation with the country.[4][5][6][7][8][9]
The Philippines is in tension with rival international claimants to various land and water territories in the South China Sea. The Philippines is currently in dispute with the People's Republic of China over the Camago and Malampaya gas fields. The two countries are also in dispute over the Scarborough Shoal. Additionally, the Philippines has a disputed claim over the Spratly Islands.
Relations with other Asian nations have been strong. Japan, which has been an active donor of aid, has close ties with the country. Relations with China have recently been expanded, especially with regards to the economy. The presence of a large South Korean expatriate community has led to the expansion of relations between the two nations. India and Saudi Arabia have also been an important partners.
In recent years, the Philippines has been distancing itself from the West due to its active role in the Non-Aligned Movement and the G-77. This trend is reflected in its recent positions on Kosovo, Iran and Israel. Its relations with Japan, Indonesia, Australia, and Vietnam have strengthened into a new depth due to closer regional diplomatic, economic, cultural, and defense cooperation and the flaring tensions in the South China Sea dispute. Despite this, its relations with its defense treaty ally, the United States, remains strong.
On the other hand, relations with China continue to deteriorate due to disputes concerning the South China Sea, which is in the eastern portion of it. Relations with Malaysia have been in a cordial and diplomatic stance due to safety measures since Malaysia was found to have been funding Islamic terrorist groups in the southern Philippines in the past due to the North Borneo dispute. The country is campaigning for Timor-Leste's membership in ASEAN. The Philippines is an active member in ASEAN with close ties with most of the members of the organization. It is expected to be one of the biggest economies in ASEAN by 2050.
Relations with specific countries and regions
Note: Date of formal relations may have discrepancy of one day due to differences in time zone and the location where the agreement establishing formal relations was signed.
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has received the credentials of the incoming Filipino ambassador to Azerbaijan, Marilyn Jusayan Alarilla. During a meeting following the ceremony, the ambassador conveyed Filipino President Benigno Aquino III's greetings to the Azerbaijani leader. She noted the Philippines was interested in developing the cooperation with Azerbaijan in different areas, including energy, science and technologies. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said there was potential for developing Azerbaijan–Philippines relations in many spheres, particularly the economic one.
The Philippines has yet to establish diplomatic relations with Bhutan. However, numerous senators and high-profile dignitaries from the Philippines have visited Bhutan and have expressed their intentions to spread the Gross National Happiness doctrine in the Philippines, seeing it as an effective and efficient way to enhance nation-building, environmental conservation, cultural propagation, and human rights. In September 2014, the Prime Minister of Bhutan visited the Philippines and the Asian Development Bank headquarters in Manila.[13]
In 2014, officials of the Royal Government of Bhutan visited the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center of the Philippines to gain insights about the country's PPP Program.[14]
In April 2009, The Philippines and Brunei signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that sought to strengthen their bilateral cooperation in the fields of agricultural trade, innovation, and investments.[15] The MOU further strengthening bilateral cooperation between the two Southeast Asian countries, particularly in the fields of agriculture and farm-related trade and investments.[16] The two countries have agreed to cooperate in plant science, crops technology, vegetable and fruit preservation, biotechnology, post-harvest technology, livestock, organic agriculture, irrigation and water resources and halal industry.[17]
The Philippines voted in favor of UN Resolution 181 concerning the partition of Palestine and the Creation of the State of Israel in 1947. The Philippines was among the 33 countries who supported the creation of Israel and the only Asian country which voted for the resolution.[25]
Diplomatic relations between Kazakhstan and the Philippines were formally established on March 19, 1992. The Philippines maintains relations with Kazakhstan through its embassy in Russia. Kazakhstan has an honorary consulate in Manila.[27][28]
Trade between Kazakhstan and the Philippines amounted to 7.3 million U.S. dollars during the period from January to November 2010. In 2009, about 1,500 Kazakh tourists visited the Philippines. As of 2009, there are about 7,000 Overseas Filipino Workers who are working in Western Kazakhstan, mostly in the oil and gas sector. Kazakhstan is seeking Filipino investment in its economy.[29]
On 2011, Kazakhstan was planning to put up a Kazakh house in the Philippines in either Bonifacio Global City or Makati to showcase Kazakh products and promote its tourist destinations. There were also plans to put up a Philippine House in Kazakhstan for the same purpose and to put Filipino art exhibits in Kazakhstan.[30]
Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, and his 27 delegates arrived in the Philippines for a three-day state visit on November 10, 2003, at Villamor Air Base in Pasay. The Kazakh officials met with their Filipino counterparts and conducted meetings. Former Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo met with Nazarbayev to finalize the Philippines' intent to import oil and coal from Kazakhstan and discussed possible infrastructure projects in the Central Asian country.[27]
The Philippines also supported Kazakhstan's bid to become a member of the ASEAN Regional Forum on security.[29]
The Philippines and Nepal established diplomatic relations on February 12, 1960. Both countries are members of the Non-Aligned Movement. There are about 300 Filipinos living in Nepal, mainly missionaries, professionals, skilled workers, volunteers, or spouses of Nepalese or other nationals as of March 2011. Approximately 500 Nepalese students are studying in the Philippines for their higher-level education.[34]
The Republic of the Philippines formally established diplomatic relations with the Syrian Arab Republic on September 4, 1946. The Philippines has an embassy in Damascus. Syria has an consulate in Manila.
The Philippines recognizes the One-China policy but has informal relations with the Republic of China (ROC, also known as Taiwan) through the Manila Economic and Cultural Office in Taipei and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Manila.
The first round of political consultations between the Philippines and Uzbekistan was held in Tashkent on March 3, 2011. Uzbekistan expressed its support for the Philippines' bid to gain observer status in the OIC and its hopes for the resolution of the Muslim insurgency mainly affecting the southern part of the Philippines. The Philippines highlighted untapped potential, despite remote geographical position, for developing trade and economic cooperation, especially between Filipino and Uzbek financial institutions.[47]
In 2011, there were about 1,600 Filipinos working in Yemen with about a thousand in the capital of Sana'a. The majority worked in the health and petroleum industries. Yemen supports the Philippines' bid for observer status in the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and a peaceful resolution to the Islamic insurgency in the Philippines.[49]
Equatorial Guinea supported the Philippines's bid for a non-permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council.[57]
Both the Philippines and Equatorial Guinea were former Spanish colonies. There are about 4,000 Filipino workers in Equatorial Guinea. There has been cordial ties especially in the fields of trade and investments, agriculture, education, cultural and technical cooperation. The Philippines is interested in partnering with Equatorial Guinean entities to conduct oil exploration and the possibility of importing oil from Equatorial Guinea. The Philippines is also interested in developing infrastructure for seaports to improve cargo handling and delivery. He likewise expressed Philippine interest in developing facilities for seaports to improve cargo handling and delivery.[58]
The Republic of Ghana has opened its consulate in the Philippines to extend and render assistance to Ghanaians and help maintain relations between the two countries.[61]
There were some 100 Filipinos in Côte d'Ivoire, mostly professional and skilled workers and some permanent residents, and the Philippine government had repatriated 10 Filipinos after tensions in the country started following the second round of the 2010 presidential elections.[64]
Kenya is represented to the Philippines from its embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. On the other hand, the Philippines maintains an embassy in Nairobi.
Sierra Leone and the Philippines have pledged to strengthen bilateral relations to the mutual benefit of both countries.
The two countries vow to work further to expand their relations in the socio-economic, political and cultural fields.[71]
The Philippines officially recognized South Sudan as a sovereign and independent state soon after South Sudan declared its independence on July 9, 2011.[72]
Bolivia and Philippines were both Spanish colonies, diplomatic relations between the two countries began in 1970. The Philippine Embassy in Buenos Aires exercised jurisdiction over Bolivia. Furthermore, the Embassy of Bolivia in Tokyo has jurisdiction over the Philippines, while the Philippine Embassy in Santiago, Chile, has jurisdiction over Bolivia. It also has two honorary consulates in Bolivia in the cities of La Paz and Santa Cruz de la Sierra. There are about 15 Filipinos in Bolivia most of them are religious missionaries and others are married with Bolivians.[77]
Barbados established formal relations with the Philippines with the signing of a Joint Communique on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations in New York on June 22, 2009. The establishment of relations was proposed by Barbados the year before through the Philippines' embassy in Caracas in Venezuela.[79]
With the closure of the Philippine Embassy in Caracas in 2012, jurisdiction was transferred to the Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C.
The Philippines and Finland share bilateral diplomatic relations established on July 14, 1955. The Philippines had an embassy in Helsinki, closed in 2012 due to a restructuring of the DFA's budget. Finland has an embassy in Manila. The Embassy in Manila is also the Finland's representative in some Pacific Island nations such as Palau, Micronesia and Marshall Islands.
The bilateral relations between Lithuania and the Philippines were established on December 15, 1991, months after the latter recognized the former's independence de jure.
Diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Sweden were established in 1947, and have steadily intensified during the years. Sweden has long been a development partner of the Philippines. Sweden's cooperation with the Philippines focuses on issues concerning the environment, human rights, good governance, training, and assistance to non-government organizations (NGOs).
The Philippines recognized South Vietnam in July 1955. The Philippines sent troops to aid them in the Vietnam War.[114][115] The Philippine embassy in Saigon ceased operations on April 29, 1975
The European Union and the Philippines shares diplomatic, economic, cultural and political relations. The European Union has provided €3 million to the Philippines to fight poverty and €6 million for counter-terrorism against terrorist groups in the Southern Philippines. The European Union is also the third largest trading partner of the Philippines. There are at least 31,961 Europeans (not including Spaniards) living in the Philippines.
When the Philippines joined signing the United Nations Charter in San Francisco, United States. This partnership has progressed since then into a number of development initiatives, activities and programs. Technical, financial and other forms of assistance to the Philippines began in the late 1940, as the country recovered from the ravages of World War II. The partnership between the United Nations and the Philippines began in 1945.
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