During the current global trade disruptions and shifting geopolitical dynamics, France is calling for an acceleration of economic cooperation by trade ties with Philippines. French Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade, Laurent Saint-Martin, emphasised the importance of reinforcing bilateral trade as protectionist policies—especially those under the Trump administration—reshape the global market.
Speaking during his official visit to Manila on April 10 and 11, Saint-Martin highlighted the urgency for like-minded nations to strengthen economic ties. “The current international context and situation should make us accelerate… We were below the potential. So what we have to do is to work,” he said, encouraging more business delegations and partnerships with the Philippines.
Saint-Martin met with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for a 45-minute strategic dialogue covering potential collaborations, including in nuclear energy. He acknowledged the Philippines’ rising prominence in the Indo-Pacific region, noting its strong economic growth and demographic potential. “There is a historic, cultural, and long-term friendship between our two countries… and I’m pretty sure in terms of trade and investment, we can have a genuine and very concrete production of this friendship,” he remarked.
The visit marked the first French ministerial mission to the Philippines since 2023 and resulted in the signing of six key agreements aimed at boosting cooperation across multiple sectors.
Among them was a Joint Declaration to enhance collaboration in air, railway, and maritime transport infrastructure. An agreement between French shipbuilder OCEA and the Philippine Coast Guard was also signed to support the maintenance and modernisation of the country’s maritime fleet.
Further aligning with global sustainability goals, two partnerships were sealed to decarbonise the Philippine transport sector: a Memorandum of Understanding between Hydrogène de France and the Department of Transportation and a letter of intent between Ascendance and Philjet on developing a new generation of green helicopters.
In the aviation sector, Cebu Pacific and Air France Industries KLM Engineering and Maintenance signed a deal for engine and component servicing of the A320/A321 fleet. This follows Cebu Pacific’s record-setting 2024 order of 102 aircraft and 50 options, further consolidating Airbus’s market leadership in the Philippines.
The visit also witnessed a milestone in climate cooperation through a €1 million grant from the French Development Agency (AFD) and CIRAD. The initiative will support:
Research into climate-resilient agriculture, particularly for bananas, mangoes, and aquaculture.
The promotion of geographical indications, in partnership with the Philippine Intellectual Property Office and Department of Agriculture, to protect and develop locally unique agricultural products.
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