PH deepens ties with Mongolia through diplomacy, dialogue, and education
The Philippines and Mongolia moved to deepen bilateral ties and expand cooperation in regional security, education, trade, and people-to-people exchanges following a series of high-level engagements in Ulaanbaatar led by Department of Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary for Asian and Pacific Affairs Marshall Louis M. Alferez.
During his first official visit to Mongolia from June 3 to 4, Alferez represented the Philippines at the 11th Ulaanbaatar Dialogue on Northeast Asian Security while also holding meetings with senior Mongolian officials and academic leaders, underscoring Manila’s commitment to strengthening relations with Ulaanbaatar.
On the sidelines of the Dialogue, Alferez met with Chairman Temuulen Ganzorig of the State Great Hural Standing Committee on Foreign Policy and Security, who also heads the Mongolia-Philippines Parliamentary Friendship Group, as well as senior officials from Mongolia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Discussions focused on advancing priorities identified in the 2025 Philippines-Mongolia Joint Statement, including cooperation in education, human resource development, trade, tourism, and cultural exchanges. Both sides also reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining regular high-level engagements and pursuing practical initiatives that would bring tangible benefits to their peoples.
Alferez highlighted the Philippines’ interest in expanding institutional partnerships, increasing educational exchanges, and improving business and tourism connectivity between the two countries. The discussions also recognized the importance of cultural and people-to-people links in building long-term understanding and cooperation.
The Philippines and Mongolia enjoy growing ties, supported by a Filipino community of around 700 people living in Mongolia as of 2025.
At the Ulaanbaatar Dialogue, Alferez joined senior government officials, diplomats, and experts from across Northeast Asia and beyond in discussions on regional security challenges, including tensions on the Korean Peninsula, maritime security, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, disinformation, climate-related risks, energy security, and supply chain resilience.
In his intervention, Alferez emphasized the importance of dialogue, international law, and the peaceful settlement of disputes amid rising geopolitical competition and increasingly interconnected security challenges.
He reaffirmed the Philippines’ commitment to the sovereign equality of states, ASEAN centrality, the rule of law, and multilateral cooperation.
Alferez likewise stressed the importance of maritime security and the peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). He noted that the 10th anniversary of the landmark 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award this year serves as a reminder of the role international law plays in safeguarding peace and stability.
As the Philippines chairs ASEAN this year, he also underscored the continued relevance of ASEAN-led mechanisms, including the ASEAN Regional Forum, in promoting dialogue, managing differences peacefully, and addressing both traditional and emerging security challenges.
On the margins of the Dialogue, Alferez congratulated Mongolian Foreign Minister Battsetseg Batmunkh and conveyed the invitation of Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro for Mongolia to participate in the 50th anniversary commemoration of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia to be held in Manila in July.
Beyond diplomacy and security cooperation, the visit also opened a new avenue for academic engagement between the two countries.
Alferez delivered a lecture at the National University of Mongolia (NUM), marking the first collaboration between the Philippines and Mongolia’s oldest institution of higher learning.
Speaking on “The Philippines, Mongolia, and the Indo-Pacific: Strategic Balance, Sovereignty, and the Rule of Law,” Alferez highlighted the shared experiences of both countries as democracies navigating complex strategic environments while preserving sovereignty, strategic autonomy, and adherence to the rule of law.
He emphasized that stronger relations between nations are built not only through official meetings but also through sustained exchanges among students, teachers, researchers, workers, businesses, and ordinary citizens.
Alferez also discussed opportunities for future cooperation with faculty members of NUM’s School of Political Science, International Relations, and Public Administration, including academic exchanges, English-language training, and broader institutional partnerships.
The visit reflected the Philippines’ broader effort to deepen engagement with Mongolia through diplomacy, educational cooperation, and multilateral dialogue, while advancing a shared commitment to peace, stability, and a rules-based regional order in the Indo-Pacific.
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