President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. will visit Australia, Germany, and the Czech Republic to build on the Philippines’ increasing engagements with the three states, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Thursday.

In a media forum, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo said Marcos will visit the three countries between February and March.

“This will highlight the growing scope of our relations with these countries, as we see a broader convergence of interest in cooperating in the areas of energy transition, climate finance, trade, security, and rule of law in the regional and global order,” he said.

In Australia, local reports said Marcos will deliver a speech before the Australian federal parliament on Feb. 29 ahead of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Melbourne in March.

His upcoming trip to Germany, on the other hand, follows the official visit of German Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock to Manila last January.

“The basic message would be how to expand our cooperation with Germany, specific on the economic sphere also on security issues and regional developments,” Manalo said.

The Filipino top diplomat added that the issue of climate change and the West Philippine Sea/South China Sea are also among the topics expected to be discussed.

Meanwhile, his visit to the Czech Republic will come months after the successful Manila visit of Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala.

In April 2023, Marcos and Fiala agreed to enhance cooperation in a wide range of areas, including defense, trade and investment, university-to-university linkages, and labor, among others.

“Our approach to foreign policy has been driven by President Ferdinand R. Marcos’ foreign policy purpose and vision,” Manalo said.

“Basically, a friend to all and enemy to none, our diplomacy is working for outcomes benefiting the average Filipino, as it sustains a high level of commitment to contribute to global peace, stability, and progress through multilateralism, and advancing shared aspirations of the community of nations,” he added. (PNA)