Manila: The Philippines and Myanmar, members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), scheduled a trade meeting in June to strengthen trade ties.

In a meeting between Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario and Myanmar's Foreign Secretary U Wunna Maung Lwin in Myanmar in early February, they agreed that the Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC) will meet from June 5 to 6 in Manila, del Rosario said in a statement.

JCBC is a mechanism for the Philippines and Myanmar to discuss bilateral issues, including trade and investment, air services, education, technical cooperation and other regional and international issues.

The meeting "will provide the roadmap to move relations further," said del Rosario.

Myanmar President Thein Sein also invited Philippine-based businessmen to invest in its oil and gas, agriculture, mining, forestry and timber products, development of deep sea ports and infrastructure, said del Rosario.

The two countries agreed to strengthen cooperation on tourism and anti-drug trafficking prevention.

Thein Sein thanked del Rosario for the Philippines' support to lift economic sanctions against Myanmar.

The Philippine foreign affairs secretary said his official visit to Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, on February 8 and 9 happened when Myanmar was "at its crossroads of history". Before 2010, the Philippines was openly critical of Myanmar's military junta.

Thein Sein, a former junta general was appointed president to head a civilian government after the 2010 elections. He ordered the release of political prisoners, including democracy icon Suu Kyi in 2010. The Nobel Peace laureate was under house arrest for 15 years.

Myanmar also established its Human Rights Commission, and passed a new labour law, and began peace process with various ethnic groups.

In response, the US announced plans to restore diplomatic ties with Myanmar.

After promising to fast track reforms, the Asean approved Myanmar's chairmanship of the Asean leaders' summit in 2014.

Asean members also include Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Asean's dialogue partners in its yearly meetings include Australia, China, European Union, India, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Russia, US,

Since the 1990s, Europe and the United States imposed tough financial and economic sanctions against Myanmar due to alleged gross human rights violations and failure to institute democratic reforms.