Philippines, Australia sign defense pact

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MANILA: Australia and the Philippines signed a new defense pact on Sunday aimed at fast-tracking military cooperation and “bolstering deterrence” in a ...

MANILA: Australia and the Philippines signed a new defense pact on Sunday aimed at fast-tracking military cooperation and “bolstering deterrence” in a region marked by China’s growing military presence.

The agreement, which updates a decades-old memorandum, was signed on the sidelines of a leaders’ meeting in Manila, with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in attendance. Manila and Canberra have steadily increased defense cooperation in recent years, including joint maritime patrols in the strategically vital South China Sea and land-based military exercises.

US ally the Philippines has been engaged in years of confrontations with China over disputed areas of the South China Sea. Beijing claims nearly the entirety of the crucial waterway despite an international ruling that its position has no legal basis. “The agreement makes us faster, speedier. It streamlines the coordination process,” Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro told reporters after Sunday’s ceremony. “It will bolster our credible deterrent posture in areas where we have jurisdiction,” he said, referring to contested areas of the South China Sea.

Australia and the Philippines have had a visiting forces agreement in place since 2012, allowing for their troops to train on each other’s territory. Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles said in a later statement the pact would “deepen practical cooperation between our defense forces and create new opportunities to work together in support of regional security”.

The statement outlined enhanced maritime activities, information-sharing, and defense infrastructure development as key elements of the new agreement. Marles said at an ASEAN defense chiefs’ summit in the Philippines last month that China’s military build-up was creating a “condition of pressure” in Southeast Asia, and urged allies and partners to deepen cooperation. — AFP

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