MANILA, Philippines, Jan 15, (Agencies): Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr expressed his eagerness to cultivate a stronger relationship with Taiwan as he extended congratulations to President-elect Lai Ching-te on his recent electoral triumph. In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on the evening of Jan 15, Marcos conveyed well-wishes and outlined his intentions for closer collaboration.

"On behalf of the Filipino people, I congratulate President-elect Lai Ching-te on his election as Taiwan's next President," Marcos shared. He went on to express optimism about the future, stating, "We look forward to close collaboration, strengthening mutual interests, fostering peace, and ensuring prosperity for our peoples in the years ahead."

Despite reported warnings from China, which claims sovereignty over the self-ruled island, Lai, a member of the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), emerged victorious in the recent polls. The elections saw Lai competing against Hou Yu-ih from the conservative Kuomintang (KMT) and former Taipei mayor Ko Wen-je from the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP).