FM Mohamad Leads Malaysia Delegation To 9th Philippines-Malaysia Joint Commission Meeting In Manila
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 17 (Bernama) -- Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan is leading the Malaysian delegation to the 9th Philippines-Malaysia Joint Commission Meeting (JCM) in Manila on Tuesday, with stronger bilateral trade, cross-border investments and regional economic resilience among the key issues on the agenda.
In a statement, the Foreign Ministry (Wisma Putra) said Mohamad is co-chairing the meeting with Philippine Foreign Secretary Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro, with the JCM serving as the highest bilateral mechanism between Malaysia and the Philippines.
“This meeting will provide a crucial platform for both nations to review the ongoing bilateral cooperation and strategically navigate the current global landscape and economic uncertainties,” it said.
The two ministers are also expected to explore expanded cooperation in the halal and Islamic finance ecosystem, energy cooperation, agriculture and food security, defence, security cooperation, disaster management and emergency response.
According to Wisma Putra, the visit carries added significance as the Philippines is the current ASEAN Chair, with Malaysia reaffirming its commitment to work closely with Manila “not only bilaterally but also by supporting its ASEAN Chairmanship”.
“This will further underscore Malaysia’s commitment to working closely with the Philippines ... to safeguard regional stability, promote unified responses to global challenges, and sustain economic growth during these unprecedented times,” it said.
The 9th JCM will also follow up on discussions held during the 8th JCM in Kuala Lumpur on Oct 15 and 16, 2024.
Malaysia and the Philippines share a long-standing partnership, with the two countries having celebrated 60 years of diplomatic relations in 2024.
On the economic front, the Philippines ranked as Malaysia’s 17th-largest trading partner and fifth-largest within ASEAN in 2025, while Malaysia was the Philippines’ ninth-largest trading partner globally and fourth-largest within ASEAN.
Total trade between Malaysia and the Philippines stood at RM35.21 billion (US$8.22 billion), while bilateral trade from January to May 2026 increased 9.5 per cent to RM16.71 billion (US$4.21 billion), from RM15.26 billion (US$3.46 billion) in the same period last year.
-- BERNAMA
