The Philippines is strengthening ties with Cambodia, with a visit by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and the First Lady that kicked off on Sunday.
The visit comes at the invitation of Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni.
The two visiting dignitaries were welcomed by Cambodian officials at Phnom Penh International Airport on Sunday afternoon as part of a three-day state visit.
This comes even as tensions run high between attempted upstart casino rival Thailand, which has faced the ousting of its Prime Minister over worsening ties with its neighbor.
Aside from the first lady, the Philippine President is joined by numerous cabinet members as part of an official delegation.
Marcos Jr is set to meet with Prime Minister Hun Manet on the second day of the trip, to discuss trade, eliminating transnational crime and education, among other top issues.
The Philippine President is also reportedly aiming to garner support from Cambodia for the Philippines’ Chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) next year.
Cambodia’s Prime Minister underwent a formal visit to the Philippines in February of this year, however, the last official state visit by a Philippine President to Cambodia took place in 2016.
