EU chief Ursula von der Leyen on trade mission in Philippines says mistakes made with Russia

“Challenges to the rules-based order in our interconnected world affect all of us,” she said.

“This is why we are concerned about the rising tensions in the Indo-Pacific, because an Indo-Pacific free of the threats of coercion is key to all our stability, to our peace, and to the prosperity of our people.

“We could not choose our neighbours, but we can choose who to do business with, and on what terms,” she said. “We made a mistake with Russia.”

Von der Leyen has stepped up her visits to Asia, having travelled to South Korea, Japan and India on top of her Manila trip.

Speaking to reporters after the visit, a senior commission official said Brussels’ cooperation with Manila had been “significantly advanced due to the change of government,” noting the improvements on human rights in the Philippines.

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Former president Rodrigo Duterte’s self-proclaimed war on drugs is estimated to have led to the deaths of 12,000 Filipinos, according to Human Rights Watch, which has called on Duterte to co-operate with an investigation by the International Criminal Court.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has expressed hope that Von der Leyen could visit Australia, but asked by this masthead if this was imminent, the EU official said the focus was on securing a trade deal, with negotiations set to resume this month.

“We hope to conclude as quickly as possible, it’s in the strategic interests of both the EU and Australia, and I think the realisation at leaders’ level is there,” the official said.

“We need to make sure the teams on each side understand the bigger picture, and make sure that we find something mutually agreeable.”

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