Marcos, New Zealand PM Luxon Reaffirm Commitment to Free and Fair Trade

MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon recently held a phone conversation, reaffirming their commitment to strengthening free and fair trade between their countries.

Luxon shared the update via a post on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “Good to reconnect with President Marcos Jr. tonight. The Philippines is an important partner for New Zealand in Southeast Asia.”

The two leaders discussed ongoing efforts to enhance bilateral cooperation and praised the progress in deepening ties between the Philippines and New Zealand. Their call follows recent global trade tensions sparked by U.S. President Donald Trump’s imposition of reciprocal tariffs.

A year ago, Luxon visited Manila to explore elevating the Philippines-New Zealand partnership to a more strategic level. Their countries have shared diplomatic relations since 1966.

Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. noted that both nations are also preparing to sign a visiting forces agreement, a move expected to further expand bilateral collaboration.