Canada and the Philippines plan to finalize a free trade agreement this year, Prime Minister Mark Carney says. The leaders also sign agreements aimed at broadening cooperation across several areas, including energy, defense, labor and migration. The announcement is presented as part of an effort to deepen bilateral relations and strengthen economic and strategic ties.
The outlets report that bilateral merchandise trade between the two countries reached $3.4 billion last year. While details of the trade agreement’s scope are not provided in the excerpts, the stated goal is to conclude a free trade arrangement within the current year. In parallel with trade talks, the cooperation measures cover both security and people-to-people issues, including defense coordination and labor and migration-related collaboration.
Taken together, the reporting indicates Canada and the Philippines are moving forward on a trade track while also expanding agreements in sectors that span energy and defense, as well as labor and migration.
