Lithuania, Philippines FMs discuss economic, cybersecurity, energy, defence ties

VILNIUS - Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys met his Philippine counterpart Theresa Lazaro on Friday to discuss bilateral economic cooperation in high-value-added sectors, as well as cybersecurity, energy and defence.

"Lithuania and the Philippines share a common commitment to international law, multilateralism and human rights. We see great potential to further strengthen our partnership and contribute together to a safer, more stable and prosperous international community," Budrys said.

The minister emphasised Lithuania's interest in deepening ties with the Philippines and stressed the importance of a rules-based international order. He also reaffirmed Lithuania's support for the 2016 arbitral ruling on the South China Sea.

Budrys highlighted the growing contribution of Lithuanian businesses to the digital transformation of the Philippines. He noted that Lithuanian companies are already implementing projects in the digitalisation of public services and that the information and communications technology sector remains one of the most promising areas for further cooperation.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Budrys also invited the Philippines to join the Vilnius Convention, the first legally binding international treaty aimed at protecting human rights in the context of artificial intelligence technologies.

Budrys is visiting the Philippine capital, Manila, on the occasion of events marking the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.

Lithuania and the Philippines established diplomatic relations in 1991. Since 2023, the Lithuanian Embassy in South Korea has been accredited to the Philippines.