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July 2, 2026 – Vancouver, British Colombia – Global Affairs Canada
The Honourable Maninder Sidhu, Minister of International Trade, welcomed Maria Cristina Aldeguer-Roque, Secretary of Trade and Industry of the Philippines, to Canada to deepen the strong bilateral and economic partnership with the Philippines.
Secretary Roque travelled to Vancouver, British Columbia, with Ferdinand Marcos Jr., President of the Philippines, for the first visit by a head of state of the Philippines to Canada in more than a decade.
Minister Sidhu and Secretary Roque welcomed the announcement by Prime Minister Carney and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to elevate Canada-Philippines relations to a Strategic Partnership.
During the meeting, they both highlighted the already strong and growing trading and economic partnership between the two nations, with a focus on increasing trade in priority sectors, including energy, agriculture, mining, infrastructure, digital technologies, space and defence industries.
Building on Minister Sidhu’s recent visit to Manila, Minister Sidhu highlighted Canada’s significant investment presence in the Philippines, which grew more than 44% in 2025 compared to 2024. The minister and secretary also discussed the expanding Canada-Philippines trade relationship, with bilateral merchandise trade valued at $3.4 billion in 2025. They spoke about their joint commitment to accelerating and concluding negotiations for an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-Canada free trade agreement (FTA) and a Canada-Philippines FTA in 2026.
Minister Sidhu reiterated Canada’s support for the Philippines’ ASEAN chairship goals and noted that he looks forward to meeting with ASEAN partners to advance shared priorities, including energy, food security and the digital economy, at the ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Meeting in September 2026.
