Kuala Lumpur: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet have acknowledged the enduring friendship between the Philippines and Cambodia, expressing a shared commitment to enhancing bilateral trade and cooperation across key areas of mutual interest.

According to Philippines News Agency, during the 46th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Kuala Lumpur, President Marcos highlighted improvements in trade relations since 2023, attributing the positive development partly to the increase in Philippine automobile exports to Cambodia. He emphasized the importance of expanding collaboration into other key areas, including defense, to strengthen the strategic partnership and ensure regional peace and stability. "I hope that we can move forward with those discussions in terms of trade, defense, and potential defense cooperation," President Marcos stated.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet expressed appreciation for the warm hospitality extended to him during his official visit to the Philippines in February 2025. He encouraged ASEAN member states to embrace emerging opportunities amid global trade disruptions, emphasizing the region's collective potential for resilience and growth. The Prime Minister remarked, "There are thousands of products where we can find complementarities" as trading partners.

Since their establishment in 1957, bilateral relations between the Philippines and Cambodia have steadily progressed across multiple domains, including trade, tourism, education, and defense, highlighting a robust partnership that both leaders are eager to enhance further.