Daiven Monforte

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.  has renewed diplomatic ties between the Philippines and Germany as he welcomed German Federal Minister of Defense Boris Pistorius at Malacañang Palace on August 5. 

Photo Courtest of Facebook/Bongbong Marcos.

During the meeting with the German defense chief, President Marcos emphasized the importance of partnership among nations in addressing geopolitical issues, particularly in the West Philippine Sea.

Marcos stressed to the German defense chief that countries must employ all available methods, including diplomacy, which he said is not always predictable.

“But so, again, the partnerships are important, the stability, all, in our case, the South China Sea, the West Philippine Sea, as we refer to it,” Marcos told Pistorius.

Marcos also pointed out that if it was just the Philippines doing it, it would not be as successful, and it's the same for Germany.

“In your case, Central Eastern Europe, really depends on a very solid front, and that front represents, again, international law, and it must be made very clear to all, both allies and adversaries, that this is the basis of all that we do, and it’s easily understandable, easily appreciated by I think all parties, and everything outside of that will be resisted, and that’s all we can do,” Marcos said.

Minister Pistorius arrived in the Philippines on August 3 for a three-day visit, making him the first German Defense Minister to visit the country.

His visit to the Philippines is part of a larger tour of the Indo-Pacific region, which included stops in Hawaii and South Korea prior to his arrival.

Diplomatic ties between the Philippines and Germany were established on October 8, 1954.