THE PHILIPPINES’ security concerns in the maritime domain provide a basis for deeper cooperation with Poland as the two countries share common values and interests, Polish President Karol Nawrocki said.
According to Nawrocki, actions that undermine sovereign rights and freedom of navigation could destabilize the region and disrupt European trade. He said that the Philippines and Poland can strengthen their ties with its shared experiences, technology and expertise.
“My visit, the first official visit to the Philippines by a president of Poland, is a clear sign of our commitment to building a partnership,” Nawrocki said during his address at the University of Santo Tomas on Wednesday, Oct. 7.
“Despite our different geographies, many of our concerns are remarkably similar. This creates a strong basis for deeper cooperation,” he added.
In his lecture at the Dr. Robert C. Sy Grand Ballroom of the Blessed Buenaventura Garcia Paredes O.P. Building, Nawrocki described the Philippine-Poland partnership as lasting due to its similarities in faith and freedom.
According to the Polish President, the Philippines and Poland, both Catholic bastions of Asia and Europe, remain strongly connected with St. John Paul II and other Polish missionaries’ visit to the Philippines, which he considered a monumental moment in the two nations’ relationship.
He also highlighted the two countries’ shared commitment to national sovereignty, territorial integrity and international law, noting their respective experiences with foreign domination.
Nawrocki said cooperation could extend to development, trade and investment, as he emphasized Poland’s interest in the Philippines as a gateway to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) market, which he described as an important contributor to stability, growth and dialogue in the Pacific.
“This reflects Poland’s long-term commitment to Southeast Asia and our intention to deepen cooperation with ASEAN and its member states. We see ASEAN as one of the world’s most important regional organizations and a key contributor to stability, growth and title in the Pacific,” the President said.
He said Poland and the Philippines could work together toward a more inclusive and representative international order as both countries seek a stronger voice in global affairs.
Nawrocki called on Thomasians to help strengthen Polish-Filipino relations, describing young people as an important part of the partnership’s future.
“You are well placed to become natural ambassadors of Polish-Filipino relations,” he told the students. F
