New Zealand and Philippines form comprehensive partnership

MANILA, PHILIPPINES - JULY 21: Philippines Foreign Secretary Theresa Lazaro (left) and New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters shake hands during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting at the Philippine International Convention Center on July 21, 2026 in Pasay, Metro Manila, Philippines. Ezra Acayan/Pool via REUTERS

SYDNEY, July ⁠21 (Reuters) - New ⁠Zealand and the Philippines ‌have formed a comprehensive partnership, New Zealand ​foreign minister Winston ⁠Peters said ⁠on Tuesday.

"New Zealand and ⁠the Philippines ‌are close friends ⁠and trusted partners on ​the ‌world stage - and today ⁠we ​turn this friendship into concrete ⁠action," Peters said.

The partnership ​will deepen collaboration across four areas: political ⁠engagement; defence, security, and maritime cooperation; trade and economic ​ties; and ⁠people-to-people links, he ​said.

(Reporting by ‌Alasdair Pal in ​Sydney; Editing by Christopher Cushing)