New Zealand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters paid a courtesy call on President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. at Malacañang Palace on Tuesday.
During the meeting, President Marcos expressed his pleasure in welcoming Peters, following the visit of New Zealand’s Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to the Philippines in April.
Marcos recalled the productive discussions with Luxon, emphasizing the agreement that smaller countries should adopt a “joint positioning” on geopolitical issues.
“So, I am happy that you’re able to come here and the time that you’re here, I hope that you’ll be able to be in touch with some of our officials and also those in the private sector to develop some of these ideas that we spoke about with the Prime Minister,” Marcos said.
Geopolitical Concerns
Marcos and Luxon have previously expressed serious concern regarding the increasing tensions in the South China Sea. They reaffirmed the importance of the right to freedom of navigation and overflight as stipulated by the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).