Czech Republic Prime Minister Petr Fiala arrives at Villamor Air Base in Pasay City on April 16, 2023, for a two-day visit to the Philippines. Prime Minister Petr Fiala will meet President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., tomorrow in Malacañang Palace. Alfred Frias, PNA.
MANILA -- The Prime Minister of the Czech Republic arrived in the Philippines on Sunday for his bilateral meeting with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Petr Fiala was welcomed by Department of National Defense Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. at the Villamor Airbase in Pasay City.
The highly anticipated visit marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between two countries, which was established on October 5.
The two leaders will meet on Monday, with their discussion focused on strengthening the Philippines-Czech Republic bilateral relationship by discussing issues of mutual interest, 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 before in December 2022 in Brussels, during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the European Union (EU) summit, where the two discussed cooperation in the security sector in the context of the Armed Forces of the Philippines modernization program.
The Joint Defense Committee between the Philippines and the Czech Republic first convened in 2019, further solidifying their relationship. The Philippines is also committed to fostering vibrant and meaningful cooperation between ASEAN and EU, which they are set to coordinate until 2024.
Prime Minister Petr Fiala of the Czech Republic arrived in Manila on Sunday, April 16, 2023. Izzy Lee, ABS-CBN News