# New Zealand–Philippines relations

New Zealand–Philippines relations (Māori: Te whanaungatanga o Aotearoa me Piripīni; Filipino: Ugnayang Nuweba Selandiya at Pilipinas) refer to bilateral relations between New Zealand and the Philippines. The Philippines has an embassy in Wellington and 2 other consulates, one in Auckland and in Christchurch and New Zealand has an embassy in Manila. Both countries are members of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation.

## Background

Both New Zealand and the Philippines are countries wherein people of European and Austronesian descent live together with each other. As is the case with the British living alongside the Austronesian Maori in New Zealand, and the Spanish with the Austronesian Malay-Filipinos in the Philippines. They also have common Native American influence: as Polynesians in the Pre-Columbian era brought back from the Americas: Sweet Potatoes and Native Americans who were settled in New Zealand during the Polynesian contact with people from the Americas. Likewise, with the case of the Philippines, the Spaniards carried over: Mexican, Colombian, Venezuelan, Chilean, Argentine, Costa Rican, and Peruvian soldiers and colonists to the Philippines during the era of the Viceroyalty of New Spain. Eventually, both New Zealand and the Philippines were Allied Nations to the United States during the Second World War.

## Military relations

New Zealand and the Philippines fought together during the Korean War (1950–1953) under a UN-led police action to counter a North Korean invasion of South Korea.
During the course of the Cold War, New Zealand and the Philippines were both part of the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization from 1954 to 1977. The Royal New Zealand Air Force has also conducted exercises in the Philippines.
In February 2025, The Philippines and New Zealand are working towards finalizing a Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) within the year. This agreement aims to bolster defense and security cooperation between the two nations amidst increasing geopolitical tensions, particularly in the South China Sea.
New Zealand Ambassador to the Philippines Peter Kell stated that this VFA would facilitate joint military exercises, training, and other forms of defense collaboration. Philippine Department of National Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. emphasized the significance of the agreement in strengthening regional stability and responding to shared security challenges.
The initiative aligns with the Philippines' broader efforts to enhance ties with like-minded nations to ensure sovereignty and peace in the face of growing Chinese aggression in the region. Once completed, the VFA will serve as a framework for mutual defense and capacity-building activities between the Philippines and New Zealand.

## Economic relations

New Zealand's total exports to the Philippines in 2010 amounted to about US$475 million representing a 30% increase from 2009 making the Philippines one of their major export market.
Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario made a two-day official visit to New Zealand upon the invitation of Foreign Minister Murray McCully. The Secretary noted the increasing business activities between the Philippines and New Zealand as more companies in both countries explore and engage in business and investment opportunities in the dairy, information technology, geothermal and other sectors.

## State visit

In October 2012, President Benigno Aquino III made a state visit to New Zealand. He witnessed the signing of three bilateral agreements meant to further strengthen diplomatic relations between Manila and Wellington. The signing followed a bilateral meeting between President Aquino and Prime Minister John Key, both held at the Parliament Building. The accords deal with a reciprocal working holiday scheme, defense cooperation and geothermal energy.

## Police assistance

In 2009, the New Zealand Police was helping the Philippine National Police combat methamphetamine. The New Zealand Police also helps in providing training to the Philippine National Police.

## Migration

In 2013, there were over 40,000 Filipinos residing in New Zealand.
The 1936 New Zealand census found six New Zealand residents born in the Philippines, and the country's intake of Filipino students began to increase in 1960, under the Colombo Plan; however, even as late as 1981, there were only 405 Filipinos in New Zealand. It would take until the 1990s before highly populated regions such as Wellington and Auckland (especially the suburbs of Henderson and Mount Roskill) began to see exponential growth in their respective Filipino communities. The communities themselves are known for their many Philippine-related celebrations, particularly the celebration of Philippine Independence Day every year on the Sunday nearest to 12 June. In April 2008, New Zealand's embassy indicated that they would like to increase the intake of nurses and engineers from the Philippines.