Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is set to engage in discussions with Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet on February 11, aiming to strengthen the diplomatic and economic relations between the Philippines and Cambodia. The meeting, scheduled at Malacañan Palace, coincides with Hun Manet’s inaugural official visit to the Philippines from February 10 to 11, as announced by Malacañang.
The agenda for the bilateral meeting includes strategies to enhance cooperation in areas such as combating transnational crimes, defense, trade, tourism, and regional and multilateral engagements. This visit marks a significant step in the ongoing efforts to deepen the ties between the two nations.
Currently, over 7,000 Filipinos are living and working in Cambodia, highlighting the existing connections between the countries. Additionally, the upcoming signing of a double taxation agreement (DTA) in February 2025, as mentioned by Finance Secretary Ralph Recto in November 2024, is expected to further facilitate economic activities by reducing the tax burden on cross-border operations.
Negotiations for the DTA, which began in Manila in 2018 and continued in Siem Reap, Cambodia, in 2019, aim to eliminate trade and investment barriers. The agreement will cover the taxation of income for citizens and residents of both countries, detailing how taxes paid will be credited and administered.
The Philippines and Cambodia have enjoyed diplomatic relations since August 20, 1957, although the Philippine Embassy in Phnom Penh was closed in 1975 due to the impending fall of the Lon Nol government to the Khmer Rouge. Diplomatic relations were reestablished in 1995, and since then, the two countries have maintained friendly and cooperative ties.