Marcos attends ASEAN-Australia summit in Melbourne

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. arrived in Melbourne, Australia, on Sunday to attend the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit marking 50 years of diplomatic relations.

The summit provides a platform for the Philippines to articulate its positions on regional and global issues, including the South China Sea.

Marcos expressed gratitude to Australia for its support of international law, specifically the 1982 UNCLOS and the 2016 Arbitral Award.

Before his departure, a US-based think tank reported the presence of two Chinese research vessels in Benham Rise.

Marcos is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with the Prime Ministers of Cambodia and New Zealand, engage with the Filipino community, and promote business opportunities.

He arrived at the official welcome ceremony for the summit on Tuesday, where he was welcomed by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

The President is expected to participate in the Leaders' Plenary and the "Leaders' Retreat" sessions of the summit, which will tackle cooperation between ASEAN and Australia and involve an exchange of views on key regional and global issues.