Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique A. Manalo Meets with Dutch Foreign Minister Hanke Bruins Slot in Manila

Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique A. Manalo (right) shakes hands with Dutch Foreign Minister Hanke Bruins Slot (left) at the Department of Foreign Affairs on in Manila on 30 October 2023.

MANILA 30 October 2023 – Philippine Secretary for Foreign Affairs Enrique A. Manalo welcomed his counterpart from the Netherlands, Foreign Minister Hanke Bruins Slot, on Monday, the first official visit of a Dutch foreign minister to the Philippines in more than three decades.

Secretary Manalo and Minister Bruins Slot agreed to further expand the trade and investment links between their two countries, exchanged views on regional issues of mutual concern, and discussed defense and security cooperation including law enforcement and cybersecurity. As representatives of maritime nations, the two also discussed cooperation on maritime safety and support for the more than 22,000 Filipino seafarers working across various sectors of the Netherlands’ global fleet.

In view of the latest developments in the West Philippine Sea, Secretary Manalo thanked the Netherlands for the statements of concern issued by its Embassy over illegal and reckless maneuvers against Philippine vessels at sea.

The Secretary continues to invite like-minded states to speak up against breaches of international law and the United Nations Convention on the Laws of the Sea, and express support for the 2016 Arbitral Award on the South China Sea.

“The Philippines and the Netherlands share a strong and unflinching commitment to a rules-based international order, which is necessary for the fair equitable conduct of relations in the community of nations,” Secretary Manalo said.

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