Press Statement of Secretary for Foreign Affairs Enrique A. Manalo after the Bilateral Meeting with Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Péter Szijjártó
Your Excellency, Péter Szijjártó,
Colleagues from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary,
Colleagues from the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs,
Friends from the media,
Good afternoon.
I am pleased to extend a warm welcome to His Excellency Péter Szijjártó, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary.
His Excellency is no stranger to the Philippines as he had previously visited our country in 2017 and 2020.
His visit this year is a fitting conclusion to the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of PH-HU bilateral relations. This is actually our third meeting during this milestone year, the first held on the sidelines of the last General Assembly in New York, and we also met on the margins of the 3rd Indo-Pacific Ministerial Forum in Brussels.
I would also like to congratulate Hungary, as it assumes the presidency of the Council of the European Union next month. Of course, we’re looking forward to Hungary’s voice of support for the Philippines in Europe during this chairmanship.
I am now pleased to share with you the results of our meeting this afternoon.
We explored possible avenues to enhance bilateral trade and investments – with focus on agriculture, transportation, and renewable energy. We encouraged Hungary to look into investing in the Philippines in areas of agriculture, ICT, digital technologies, and water technologies, as well as renewable energy, electrical vehicle manufacturing, and smart and high-tech light manufacturing.
I also thanked Hungary for its support for the resumption of the PH-EU Free Trade Agreement negotiations. During Hungary’s upcoming presidency of the Council of the European Union, the Philippines is confident that the PH-EU FTA talks will gain further momentum. We are optimistic that it will also pave the way for a deeper collaboration between the EU, ASEAN and the Philippines in promoting respect for international law and enhancing joint initiatives in the areas of trade, investment, and climate change.
Hungary also is home to a fast-growing number of Filipino workers, now numbering about 16,000, and I am aware of the appreciation of Hungarians for the high-quality work provided by our workers as well as the positive contributions of Filipinos to Hungarian society. We also note that the Department of Migrant Workers will be opening a Migrant Workers Office in Budapest.
Hungary is also one of our active partners in higher education. The Stipendium Hungaricum Programme has been truly beneficial to the Philippines, annually offering 35 scholarships to Filipinos in vital fields such as natural sciences, agriculture, and public health among others. To date, 142 students have completed the Program. Several Hungarian Universities also currently have active linkages with Philippine Universities.
We also welcome our active bilateral cooperation in Science and Technology, with particular focus on Sustainable Agriculture, Info-communication Technology, and Quantum Technology. Hungary has a rich history in the field of science and technology, and we hope to tap into that vast wealth of knowledge and expertise.
Acknowledging the regional and international issues that shape our world, Minister Szijjártó and I discussed the importance of a rule-based order.
On this note, I highlighted that any efforts towards peace and stability in the South China Sea must be anchored on international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 2016 Arbitral Award, and must respect the legitimate interests and legally settled rights of every state.
Finally, Minister Szijjártó and I assured each other of our commitment to advance our bilateral initiatives and to collaborate on regional and international issues of mutual concern.
In conclusion, I am confident that we can further strengthen our ties and collaboration for the mutual benefit of our nations.
Again, my warmest welcome to you, Minister Szijjártó, and thank you for the very insightful and productive meeting we had this afternoon. END