Neighbor or relative?

Although taking place at the beginning of the year marking the 75th anniversary of Indonesia-Philippines relations, Indonesian President Joko Widodo's visit to Manila is not limited to commemorative activities.

Tổng thống Indonesia Joko Widodo và Tổng thống Philippines Ferdinand Marcos Jr. tại Cung điện Malacanang, ở Manila, Philippines, ngày 10/1. (Nguồn: AFP)

Indonesian President Joko Widodo and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at Malacanang Palace, in Manila, Philippines, January 10. (Source: AFP)

Jakarta and Manila have long considered each other close and important allies in the region. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. once affirmed that Indonesia is not only a neighbor and friend but also a relative. Therefore, both sides took advantage of the visit to deepen and expand the relationship.

First of all, in the economic field. Indonesia is the Philippines' fifth largest trading partner with bilateral trade reaching US$13.9 billion in 2022 and the Philippines' 15th largest investment partner with a total capital of US$7.18 billion in 2022.

The two countries also have great potential for cooperation in areas such as infrastructure, strategic industries, artificial intelligence, digital, culture, labor cooperation, etc. There are currently more than six thousand Filipinos living and working in Indonesia, most of them professionals.

In particular, in defense and security cooperation, Indonesia has mediated peace talks between the Philippine government and Moro rebels. In 1997, the two countries signed a defense agreement focusing on joint military exercises, defense technology development, and logistics cooperation.

For the region, as Indonesia and the Philippines are both founding members of ASEAN, APEC and ASEM, the visit will advance the two countries’ shared goal of ensuring that ASEAN “remains the driving force of peace, stability and prosperity in the region.”

In addition, as both island nations in complex maritime areas, the two countries are also interested in cooperation in the field of joint patrols at sea to prevent piracy, kidnapping and smuggling, as well as finding solutions to disputes in the East Sea in accordance with international law.

The results of the visit will show the level of neighborliness or kinship in Jakarta-Manila relations.

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