Germany and the Philippines agreed to strengthen defense ties and promote joint activities as Manila established a series of alliances to strengthen its position in the controversial South China Sea long-standing dispute with China.
Philippine Defense Minister Gilberto C. Teodoro, Jr. And German rival Boris Boris Pistorius signed an “Arrangement on Defense Cooperation” in Berlin on Wednesday, agreeing to extend the cooperation to include cybersecurity, defense ordnance and logistics and the Philippines Ministry of Defense (UN) announced by the United Nations (United Nations) and the Philippines’ Ministry of Defense (DND).
It added that defense officials from both countries aim to review the proposed joint activities that are potentially implemented under the agreed arrangements next year.
“This arrangement is based on an administrative agreement of 1974, which involves training the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in Germany, one of the longest frameworks for defense cooperation between the Philippines and another country,” it said in a statement.
The deal comes after a visit by Mr. Pistorius to Manila last year, where he and Mr. Tiodoro promised to promote long-term relations between the military.
The Philippines-Berlin defense cooperation arrangements have added to the growing number of U.S. allies outside the list of defense transactions.
Last month, the Philippines signed a defense agreement with New Zealand for expanded military cooperation, and a similar agreement with Canada is expected to be signed soon.
A reciprocal visit agreement was reached with Japan, and Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.
The Philippines and China repeatedly locked corners on controversial features in the South China Sea (such as the Scarborough Shoals and the Sprat Islands), leading to maritime confrontation involving the use of water cannons and repeated finishings of Philippine ships by Chinese vessels.
Beijing claims that despite overlapping maritime claims in Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam, almost the entire South China Sea is an important trade artery that angers neighbors.
In 2016, the Hague Permanent Arbitration Court stated that Beijing’s claims had no legal basis. China rejected the decision.
“The ruling remains in effect, without any exceptions,” Mr. Pistorius said in Manila last August.
Last September, two German warships conducted rare transits in the Indo-Pacific region to demonstrate Berlin's commitment to freedom of navigation.
Teodoro is also in Berlin, and the Philippines said that as part of the United Nations peacekeeping force, the Philippines has pledged to deploy more Philippine forces and added light infantry battalions of the Philippine military and police forces.
In another statement, DND said Manila will also continue to deploy military observers and police to protect staff offices in other countries' UN missions.
“The Philippines is ready to contribute to a trusted partner, explorer and peacemaker in pursuit of lasting and sustainable peace and a safer world,” said Mr Teodoro. Southeast Asian countries are currently bidding for a non-permanent seat in the UN Security Council.
Meanwhile, the Philippines' army chief stressed the need for smaller countries to expand their alliances and establish strategic partnerships with allies to help improve the army's land combat capabilities. “Small countries can multiply their land capacity by continuously building a network of partnerships and alliances involving reliable and like-minded weapons, resulting in a more…integrated response,” Roy M. Galido, the commander-in-chief of the Philippines Army, based on a statement from the U.S. Army Pacific.
He added: “In the middle of this geopolitical vortex, not only are the major global and regional players, but also small states that strive to survive and protect their own interests.” – Kenneth Christian L. Basilio and Reuters
