President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. will officially welcome German Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier to the Philippines for a historic three-day State Visit from June 15 to 17, 2026.
The upcoming visit marks a monumental milestone in the over seven-decade-long diplomatic relations between the two countries. It represents the first visit by a German Head of State to the Philippines in over 60 years, following the historic visit of German President Heinrich Lübke in 1963.
During their bilateral meeting, President Marcos and President Steinmeier are slated to discuss a robust, forward-looking agenda aimed at deepening ties. Key areas of discussion will include:
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Defense & Maritime Cooperation: Enhancing security partnerships and reinforcing a shared commitment to the rule of law and a rules-based international order in the Indo-Pacific.
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Trade & Economic Investment: Strengthening ties with Germany, which currently stands as the Philippines’ largest trading and investment partner among European Union (EU) nations. Major German corporations—including Siemens, Lufthansa Technik, Deutsche Bank, Bayer, and Bosch—maintain strong operational footprints in the country.
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Sustainability & Innovation: Accelerating joint initiatives in climate change mitigation and renewable energy development.
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Global & Regional Affairs: Exchanging views on international matters, specifically highlighting the Philippines’ ongoing Chairship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Germany has served as a dedicated development partner to ASEAN since 2016.
This State Visit builds directly upon the momentum of President Marcos’s working visit to Berlin on March 12–13, 2024, where he met with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to commemorate the 70th anniversary of Philippines-Germany diplomatic relations, originally established on October 8, 1954.
The Malacañang Palace views this visit as a vital opportunity to cultivate deeper people-to-people exchanges, unlock fresh economic pathways, and solidify a enduring partnership anchored in mutual respect and shared strategic goals.
