French minister says PH, France must accelerate trade relations amid global tensions

MANILA -- Global trade continues to face uncertainties as markets remain turbulent due to the Trump administration’s global tariff war. 

While US President Donald Trump has paused the imposition of heftier tariff rates and dropped it to 10 percent for 90 days to allow trade negotiations with countries involved, his focus has now shifted on a trade war with China.

For French Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade Laurent Saint-Martin, this is a time for countries who support free trade to come together.

“The current international context and situation should make us accelerate. So FTA, cross trade, business delegations that should come more here to Manila to see what can be good partnership, what can be good investment…we were below the line. We were below the potential. So What we have to do is to work,” he said.

Saint-Martin visited the Philippines on April 10 and 11 for high-level discussions on how to expand bilateral relations between the two countries.

He had a 45 minute strategic dialogue with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and tackled potential areas of cooperation, including nuclear energy.

According to Saint-Laurent, the Philippines has now become one of the most important countries in the Indo-Pacific region, due to its growing economy.

“In all IndoPacific zone, the Philippines in terms of GDP growth, in terms of population, in terms of potential, is becoming more and more important every year. And, we think there is a historic, cultural, and long term friendship between our two countries. And I'm pretty sure in terms of trade and investment, we can have a genuine and very concrete production of this friendship as well…and this is why I really wanted to have this visit here in Manila. It's the first ministerial visit since 2023,”  he said.

During an official ceremony on April 11 at the French Residence in Makati City, 6 key agreements were signed in the presence of Minister Saint-Martin and Philippine Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon, to strengthen partnership across several economic sectors.

This includes a Joint Declaration to advance the partnership between France and the Philippines in supporting the country’s air, railway and maritime capacity.

A signing ceremony was also held for the OCEA maintenance of the Philippine Coast Guard fleet, in the presence of Dizon and Philippine Coast Guard Commander Admiral Ronnie Gavan. 

The agreement aims to deepen partnership with OCEA in the field of maritime security, with full support for the modernization of the PCG’s operational capabilities at sea.

Minister Saint Martin also witnessed the signing of two partnerships focused on the decarbonization of the transport sector, with a Memorandum of Understanding between Hydrogène de France and the Philippine Department of Transportation, and a letter of intent between Ascendance and Philjet on a new generation of green helicopters.

After the reopening of the direct flights between Paris and Manila, Air France Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance meanwhile signed with Philippine airline Cebu Pacific an agreement for components and engine maintenance for the A320/A321 family fleet. 

In July 2024, Cebu Pacific placed the largest aircraft order in the Philippines' history with 102 confirmed and 50 optional A320/A321 NEO aircraft, consolidating Airbus’ predominant position in the country.

An exchange of documents between the French Development Agency (AFD) and CIRAD (French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development) also marked a key development in sustainability efforts, aimed at implementing a €1 million grant supporting climate-related reforms in the Philippines, with two key components:

-  Research on Climate-Resilient Agriculture – focusing on strengthening value chains for bananas, mangoes, and aquaculture in the face of climate change.
  

Support for Geographical Indications – helping to develop and promote geographical indications in collaboration with the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines from the Department of Trade and Industry, and with the Department of Agriculture.