His visit in Singapore, Malaysia, and in the Philippines was part of the agenda to strengthen bilateral relations with Asian countries regarding security and trade. Strategically, the visit aimed to forge new partnerships with Poland’s active contacts across Asia and the Pacific.

The head of Polish diplomacy met with the three foreign ministers, the prime ministers of Singapore and Malaysia, and the president of the Philippines to discuss possible enhancement of bilateral sectoral cooperation and current issues of regional and global security, including observance of the international order based on the international law. During meetings with Poland’s regional partners, the minister stressed that “Europe and Asia have faced similar challenges—our immediate neighbours are two powerful countries which are inclined to use revisionist practices and shift borders.”  He underlined that “in the world we live in, most borders have been fixed artificially as a result of various historical circumstances. We have to respect them, even if we do not like it. War is not a solution.”

The visit confirmed that the international situation and the modernisation and expansion needs of the armed forces in the region provide numerous opportunities for the Polish defence industry to develop cooperation with Malaysia and the Philippines.  Intensive economic growth, development needs, and the fast-growing middle class also present opportunities for Polish businesses in the area of new technologies (ICT, cybersecurity, green technologies, space exploration technologies, green hydrogen), and trade in agri-food products.

In Malaysia and the Philippines, Minister Sikorski was joined by Polish delegates from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development with Minister Michał Kołodziejczak and the Ministry of Defence with Minister Paweł Zalewski. The Third Polish-Philippine IT Technology Forum was held in Manila, attended by Deputy Minister of Digitalisation Michał Gramatyka and Polish entrepreneurs.

During the visit, the conclusion of negotiations was noted for a POLSA-PHILSA agreement on cooperation in peaceful space exploration and a cooperation agreement in the area of information and communication technologies. Both agreements will most likely be signed by the end of this year.

Southeast Asia has been among the fastest-growing parts of the globe. As its economic standing expands, the region and its Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) also gain in political weight.

Poland's interest in increasing its engagement in the region at bilateral and multilateral levels is reflected in its plans to join the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC). A letter of intent was sent by Minister Sikorski to his counterpart in Laos, which is currently holding the ASEAN chairmanship. The accession will enhance Poland’s active role in the political dialogue in the region and open up new