Secretary Locsin, UK FCDO Minister for Asia and Pacific Amanda Milling Reaffirm PH-UK Enhanced Partnership
Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr. (left) meets UK Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) Minister of State for Asia and Pacific Amanda Milling (right) at the sidelines of the G7-ASEAN Foreign and Development Ministers’ Meeting in Liverpool, UK.
LIVERPOOL, 18 December 2021 – Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr. met with Amanda Milling, UK Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) Minister of State for Asia and Pacific on 11 December 2021, at the sidelines of the G7-ASEAN Foreign and Development Ministers’ Meeting in Liverpool, UK.
The meeting was a follow up to their phone call during Minister Milling’s official visit in the Philippines last October. Secretary Locsin and Minister Milling highlighted the strong ties between the Philippines and the United Kingdom, which are celebrating 75 years of diplomatic relations this year. Last month, Secretary Locsin and UK Foreign Secretary Elizabeth Truss launched the Philippines-UK Enhanced Partnership in London.
“Our relations are on a fine trajectory. We look forward to continued collaboration under your and FCDO Secretary Truss’ able leadership, especially as we mark the 75th anniversary of our diplomatic relations,” Secretary Locsin told Minister Milling.
Among the topics discussed are the ongoing bilateral cooperation in the field of defense, the UK’s role and contributions in the Indo-Pacific, the outcomes of COP26, and post-pandemic recovery efforts.
Secretary Locsin welcomed Minister Milling’s tweet reaffirming the importance the UK attaches to UNCLOS and a stable South China Sea and expressing concern at “recent incidents that have raised tensions and urge against actions that hinder the peaceful settlement of disputes.” In response, Minister Milling noted that “we‘ve consistently said that everyone needs to abide by the 2016 Arbitral Award.”
Secretary Locsin expressed appreciation for the UK’s donation of AstraZeneca vaccines to the Philippines. By the end of 2021, the United Kingdom would have given the Philippines more than 5.8million doses of AstraZeneca vaccines in direct donation and through the COVAX Facility.
Secretary Locsin was in Liverpool to participate in the G7-ASEAN Foreign and Development Ministers’ Meeting held on 12 December. END
Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr. (left) meets UK Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) Minister of State for Asia and Pacific Amanda Milling (right) at the sidelines of the G7-ASEAN Foreign and Development Ministers’ Meeting in Liverpool, UK.