Australia’s Wong reaffirms ties with PH in first video call with Locsin

Secretary of Foreign Affairs Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr. (left) and Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong (right) during the call on 24 June 2022. (DFA-ASPAC Photo)

MANILA, Philippines — Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. and his Australian counterpart, Foreign Minister Penelope “Penny” Wong, on Wednesday reaffirmed the two Pacific countries’ bilateral relations in the first ever video call between the two top diplomats.

In the first video call between the two top diplomats, Wong underscored that Australia sees its relations with the Philippines as “a very important part of how it deals with the Southeast region,” especially in upholding international law, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said in a statement late Tuesday.

The call took place last June 24.

The Philippines, meanwhile, is “looking forward” to working on the draft Joint Declaration for elevating the two countries’ relations to a strategic partnership this year, Locsin said for his part.

This, as after he highlighted the “strengths of the bilateral relations between the Philippines and Australia,” according to the DFA.

In 2021, the Philippines and Australia marked its 75-year diplomatic ties, the DFA noted. — Iliana Padigos, INQUIRER.net intern