KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama): Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines Enrique A. Manalo will undertake a two-day working visit to Malaysia from Oct 15, 2024, in conjunction with the 8th Malaysia-Philippines Joint Commission Meeting (JCM).
Malaysia’s Foreign Ministry, widely known as Wisma Putra, said the meeting will be co-chaired by Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan and Secretary of Foreign Affairs Manalo.
Since its inception in 1993, Wisma Putra said the JCM has been the highest bilateral mechanism between Malaysia and the Philippines.
"The Meeting provides the platform for both countries to take stock of bilateral cooperation, including trade and investment, agriculture, halal industry, tourism, security cooperation and to explore new areas of cooperation of mutual interest.
"This visit is significant since this year marks the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between both countries. This reflects the close and warm ties between Malaysia and the Philippines, both bilaterally and within the framework of Asean,” it said in a statement Monday.
In 2023, the Philippines was Malaysia’s 17th largest global trading partner and the 5th largest trading partner among the Asean Member States, with a total value of RM36.12 billion (US$7.92 billion).
From January to July 2024, total trade increased by 5.9 per cent, valued at RM22.41 billion (US$4.75 billion, in comparison to RM20.08 billion (US$4.48 billion) in the corresponding period in 2023. - Bernama
