- Rt Hon Winston Peters
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Manila next week to further strengthen the NZ-Philippines relationship and participate in a series of regional meetings.
"Lifting New Zealand's relationships in South East Asia has been a core part of the Government's Foreign Policy Reset, and we are pleased to continue that important work next week," Mr Peters says.
"This year we are celebrating the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations with the Philippines and our partnership with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is also going from strength to strength."
ASEAN represents a region of around 700 million people, is New Zealand's fourth largest trading partner by value, a major source of fuel imports, and an increasingly important partner for trade, security and regional stability.
"The past year has underscored how international events can impact New Zealand's own security and prosperity and reinforced the importance of close partners like ASEAN. By investing in these relationships, we can better navigate a more complex and uncertain world, while strengthening New Zealand's resilience and prosperity."
While in Manila, Mr Peters will:
- conduct bilateral meetings and sign cooperation arrangements with Philippines Ministers;
- participate in the annual ASEAN-New Zealand Foreign Ministers Meeting;
- attend the Foreign Ministers' Meetings of the East Asia Summit (EAS) and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), which bring together South East Asian countries with key partners including the United States, China, Japan, India and Australia; and
- hold a series of bilateral meetings with Foreign Minister counterparts.
Mr Peters departs New Zealand on 20 July and returns on 24 July
