MANILA: The Philippines and Germany pledged on Sunday to sign a defense cooperation agreement this year, pledging to stand for a rules-based international order in the Indo-Pacific region.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and his Philippine counterpart Gilberto Teodoro pledged to establish long-term relations between their armed forces to expand training and bilateral exchanges, explore the possibility of expanding bilateral armaments cooperation and engage in joint projects.
The two met in Manila during the first such visit by a German defense minister as their countries commemorate 70 years of diplomatic relations.
Teodoro said the Philippines, which is seeking to modernize its military to strengthen external defenses, “will seek to engage Germany as a possible supplier of these capabilities.”
“They are in command and control, anti-aircraft denial of access, maritime domain, air domain and in higher technologically capable facilities,” Teodoro said at a news conference with Pistorius.
Manila and Berlin have been deepening military ties as tensions have flared in recent months between China and the Philippines, which have traded accusations over flooding in disputed areas of the South China Sea, including allegations that China deliberately rammed Manila naval boats and seriously injured a Filipino sailor. .
China claims sovereignty over most of the South China Sea, including areas that Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia have declared as exclusive economic zones. In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague said Beijing’s claims had no legal basis. China rejects this decision.
“This decision remains valid without any exceptions,” Pistorius said. “It is our duty to strengthen the maritime border and we are following it.
The South China Sea is an important trade route with more than $3 trillion in shipping trade passing through each year.
Teodoro said the Philippines is not provoking or seeking war with China, but reiterated Manila’s position that the sole cause of the conflict in the waterway “is China’s illegal and unilateral attempt to appropriate most, if not all, of the South China Sea.”
China has expressed concern over growing ties between NATO members and Asian countries such as Japan, South Korea and the Philippines as Washington and its partners expand alliances and partnerships, including those that span the globe.
Germany joined the US-led United Nations Command in South Korea on Friday, becoming the 18th country in the group that helps guard the heavily fortified border with North Korea and has pledged to defend the South in the event of war.
Pistorius said the move was evidence of Berlin’s strong belief that European security is closely linked to security in the Indo-Pacific region.
Germany’s commitments and commitments in the region “are not directed against anyone,” Pistorius said in Manila.
“Instead, our focus is on maintaining rules-based order, ensuring freedom of navigation and protecting trade routes.”
