Marcos to host German President Steinmeier for Philippine state visit
At A Glance
- German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier will undertake a state visit to the Philippines from June 15 to 17.
- The visit will be the first by a German head of state since 1963.
- President Marcos and Steinmeier are expected to discuss defense, maritime cooperation, trade, climate action, and regional issues.
President Marcos will welcome German Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier to the Philippines next week for a state visit expected to deepen cooperation in defense, maritime security, trade, climate action, and other areas of mutual interest.
Steinmeier will be in the country from June 15 to 17, marking the first state visit by a German head of state to the Philippines in more than six decades. The last visit by a German president was undertaken by President Heinrich Lübke and his wife in 1963.
According to Malacañang, Marcos and Steinmeier are expected to discuss a broad range of bilateral issues during the visit.
Among the topics on the agenda are defense cooperation, peacebuilding initiatives, maritime cooperation, trade and investment, climate change, renewable energy, and people-to-people exchanges.
The two leaders are also expected to exchange views on regional and international developments, including the Philippines' ongoing chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Milestone in PH-Germany ties
The state visit comes as the Philippines and Germany continue to strengthen diplomatic relations that span more than seven decades.
Diplomatic relations between the two countries were formally established on Oct. 8, 1954.
Malacañang described Steinmeier's trip as a key moment in the longstanding partnership between Manila and Berlin.
President Marcos previously visited Germany in March 2024, where he met then-German Chancellor Olaf Scholz during a working visit to Berlin that coincided with the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Key economic partner
Germany remains the Philippines' largest trading and investment partner among member states of the European Union.
Several major German firms have established operations in the Philippines, including Siemens, Lufthansa Technik, Deutsche Bank, Bayer, and Bosch.
The two countries have also expanded cooperation in recent years in areas such as renewable energy, infrastructure, manufacturing, and workforce development.
Germany has also been a development partner of ASEAN since 2016 and has consistently supported a rules-based international order in the Indo-Pacific region.