Carney to visit Manila for ASEAN Summit as Canada seeks to conclude a Philippines free trade deal
Prime Minister Mark Carney will attend the ASEAN Summit in Manila during an 11 to 19 November trip and aims to conclude negotiations on a Canada-Philippines free trade agreement expected to triple bilateral trade by 2035, his office said.
Prime Minister Mark Carney will travel to Ireland, the Philippines, Cambodia and China from 11 to 19 November 2026, his office announced on 4 November. In Manila, he will attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit as Guest of the Chair.
During the visit, Carney will work to finalise the ASEAN-Canada free trade agreement, which his office said would unlock exports of more than $3.5 billion. He will also aim to conclude negotiations on a new Canada-Philippines free trade agreement that is expected to triple bilateral trade between the two countries by 2035. The office said the trip marks his first visits to Cambodia and the Philippines since taking office.
| Stop | Event |
|---|---|
| Dublin, Ireland | Summit of the European Political Community |
| Manila, Philippines | ASEAN Summit, as Guest of the Chair |
| Phnom Penh, Cambodia | Sommet de la Francophonie |
| Shenzhen, China | APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting |
How the talks got here
BusinessWorld reported that Canada and the Philippines launched negotiations for a bilateral trade pact in late 2025 after Ottawa secured parliamentary authority to proceed with talks. Earlier this year, Carney and President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. pledged to conclude negotiations before the end of 2026 during meetings in Vancouver, and Carney has described the proposed accord as the foundation of a new Canada-Philippines strategic partnership, the outlet said.
According to the Daily Tribune, negotiators resolved major roadblocks concerning market access for sensitive agricultural products during the fourth round of talks, held in Toronto from 8 to 11 September 2026. The agreement focuses on eliminating tariff and non-tariff barriers, improving market access for Philippine exports such as agriculture, seafood and electronics, and boosting Canadian investments in areas like technology and financial services, the paper said.
Philippine Ambassador to Canada Jose Victor Chan Gonzaga said Manila and Ottawa are on track to conclude the agreement, which would be the Philippines' first bilateral free trade deal with a North American country, the Daily Tribune reported on 8 November. Gonzaga was speaking during an investment mission led by the Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (APECO) in Alberta. The paper said the deal would benefit Filipino exporters, providing zero tariffs on some Philippine products.
Read the web like we doTurn any page into clean, ready-to-use data with FirecrawlKey facts
- Prime Minister Mark Carney will travel to Ireland, the Philippines, Cambodia and China from 11 to 19 November 2026, his office announced on 4 November.
- In Manila he will attend the ASEAN Summit as Guest of the Chair, work to finalise the ASEAN-Canada free trade agreement and aim to conclude negotiations on a Canada-Philippines free trade agreement.
- His office said the Canada-Philippines agreement is expected to triple bilateral trade between the two countries by 2035.
- The trip will be Carney's first visit to the Philippines since taking office.
Official sources
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