29-5-2024 (SINGAPORE) President Ferdinand Marcos Jr will deliver the keynote address at the prestigious Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on Friday (May 31), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) announced in a press statement.
This significant development marks the first time a Philippine head of state will grace Asia’s top defence summit with a keynote address, underscoring the nation’s growing prominence on the regional and global stage.
The Shangri-La Dialogue, now in its 21st edition, is a premier gathering that brings together top defence officials from around the world to discuss critical security challenges facing the region and beyond.
Previous keynote speakers at the esteemed forum include former Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
President Marcos Jr, who is on a state visit to Singapore from Wednesday to Saturday, will be accompanied by his wife, First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos, and a high-level Philippine delegation.
During his visit, the Philippine leader is scheduled to call on Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, as stated by the MFA.
He will also hold meetings with Singapore’s newly appointed Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Lawrence Wong, as well as Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
This is not President Marcos Jr’s first visit to Singapore since assuming office in June 2022. He previously visited the city-state in September 2022 at the invitation of former President Halimah Yacob, marking his first state visit to the country as president.
During that visit, Singapore and the Philippines signed several bilateral agreements to boost cooperation in areas such as counterterrorism, the digital field, and personal data protection.
President Marcos Jr returned to Singapore in September 2023 to speak at the 10th Asian Summit organised by the US-based Milken Institute, taking the opportunity to also attend the Formula One Singapore Grand Prix.
This year marks the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Singapore and the Philippines. During a working visit to the Philippines in April, Singapore Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo unveiled a logo to commemorate this milestone.
Dr Balakrishnan expressed Singapore’s keenness to strengthen collaboration with the Philippines in areas such as the green economy, smart and sustainable infrastructure, and innovation, highlighting the enduring ties between the two nations.
