Germany and the Philippines said Sunday they are working on a defense cooperation agreement to be signed later this year that would expand training between the armed forces and weapons cooperation.
The Philippines has sought to bolster its external defenses as tensions with China mount in the disputed South China Sea, and has signed defense cooperation agreements with other countries.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, who visited Manila, and Philippine Defense Minister Gilberto Teodoro said they “strongly oppose any unilateral attempt to assert sweeping claims, especially through force or coercion,” due to security concerns in both Asia and the Pacific and Europe.
“The ministers recognize that there are many opportunities to enhance bilateral defense relations in light of the security challenges facing both countries. They have therefore committed to a broader agreement on defense cooperation,” the ministers said in a joint statement.
“Therefore, the ministers are determined to establish long-term relations between the armed forces and, in particular, to expand cooperation in the field of training and bilateral exchanges,” the statement said.
“In addition, the ministers plan to explore opportunities to further expand bilateral armaments cooperation and implement joint projects.”
Pistorious said the defence cooperation agreement would hopefully be signed later this year, “maybe as early as October.”
Stressing that the enhanced cooperation was not aimed at any specific country amid the Philippines-China dispute over the South China Sea, Pistorius told a news conference: “All countries should be able to enjoy freedom of navigation, regardless of economic strength or geographical size. This is what we stand for together with our partners.”
