Hundreds of giddy, shrieking admirers swarmed Justin Trudeau Thursday at the APEC summit in Manila.

Their excitement was apparently not related to any of his policy stances.

"He shook my hand!" squealed one young woman.

"He's so hot!" screamed another.

The mayhem erupted as the Canadian prime minister left a news conference at the media centre for APEC. His admirers were mostly women — some local journalists and other volunteers at the event.

Trudeau waded slowly through the crowd, surrounded by the bright lights of numerous rolling news cameras and clusters of smartphones snapping pictures. Young women shrieked.

Earlier this week, Trudeau was dubbed an "#APEChottie" by online admirers.

The day before the summit began, The Philippines Daily Enquirer ran a large front page picture and story headlined "Girls only have eyes for Trudeau, Nieto" — a reference to Mexican president Enrique Peña Nieto.

In the article, the newspaper noted that a local media office "reminded journalists covering his arrival against shouting or giddy shrieks."

At the news conference just before Trudeau was mobbed, he was asked about the recent celebrity-like attention he was encountering.

"I'm pleased Canada is getting a little more attention because it gives us an opportunity to highlight issues that are important to us."