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Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is visiting Manila to join the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit as Guest of the Chair
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He will work towards finalizing a free trade deal with the regional bloc as well as a bilateral trade agreement with the Philippines, this year’s ASEAN chair
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The Philippines-Canada bilateral deal, still within the ASEAN agreement, is expected to triple trade between the two countries by 2035
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is visiting Manila to join the 2026 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit as Guest of the Chair and work towards finalizing a free trade deal with the regional bloc as well as a bilateral trade agreement with the Philippines.
“Canada has what the world wants: the energy, the resources, the talent, the technology, and the capital. We are building our strength at home and diversifying our partnerships abroad. Canada is boldly unleashing our enormous potential, and we are just getting started,” Carney said in a statement.
The Manila trip is part of a four-country working tour covering Ireland, the Philippines, Cambodia, and China – each hosting a major international summit where Carney will advance Canada’s interests in trade, investment, culture, and security.
The Philippines, this year’s chair of the 11-nation ASEAN, will host the 49th ASEAN Summit from November 16-18. It will be Carney’s first visit to the country since taking office in March 2025.
The ASEAN-Canada free trade agreement is seen to unlock exports of more than $3.5 billion to one of the world’s fastest-growing economic regions.
The proposed Philippines-Canada bilateral deal, which is within the context of the ASEAN agreement, is expected to triple trade between the two countries by 2035. Discussions have been moving forward with the third round held last July
READ: PH-Canada trade negotiations continue with 3rd round set in July
Data from the Canadian government show that in 2025, bilateral merchandise trade totaled $3.4 billion, up 7.4% from $3.1 billion in 2024. Canadian merchandise exports to the Philippines in 2025 amounted to $1.1 billion ($1.4 billion in 2024), while merchandise imports from the Philippines were valued at $2.3 billion ($1.7 billion in 2024). Canada’s stock in direct investments abroad in the Philippines in 2025 was approximately $1.7 billion, up 44% from $1.2 billion in 2024.
READ: PH expands Canada market for Carabao mangoes
Bilateral trade in services was valued at $3.2 billion in 2024 (up 19.9% from $2.7 billion in 2023), of which Canadian exports to the Philippines were $2.2 billion (up 20.1% from $1.8 billion in 2023), while imports from the Philippines were $1.0 billion (up 19.5% from $867.0 million in 2023).
Meanwhile, the trip to Shenzhen, China, would be the for the 21-member Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting, where the Philippines is a founding member.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney met for bilateral talks during the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in October 2025. File photo from the Presidential Communications Office
READ: APECO courts Canadian investors for defense, energy projects
