PH signs defense cooperation pact with Germany
Germany and the Philippines have agreed to enhance defense ties and boost joint activities as Manila builds up a range of alliances to strengthen its position in a long-standing dispute with China in the contested South China Sea.
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and his German counterpart Boris Pistorius signed an “arrangement concerning defense cooperation” in Berlin on Wednesday, agreeing to expand cooperation to include cybersecurity, defense armament and logistics, and United Nations peacekeeping duties, the Department of National Defense (DND) said on Thursday.
The deal follows a visit by Pistorius to Manila last year where he and Teodoro committed to boosting long-term relations between their militaries.
The DND said that following the signing, the two defense chiefs are set to convene the third Philippines-Germany Security and Defense Staff Talks “to review and concretize proposed joint activities and initiatives to be implemented under the said arrangement in the coming year.”
Manila’s defense cooperation arrangement with Berlin adds to a growing list of defense deals beyond its traditional ally, the United States.
More deals coming
Last month, the Philippines signed a defense agreement with New Zealand for expanded military cooperation, and a similar deal with Canada is expected to be signed soon.
A reciprocal access deal with Japan was ratified in December, and President Marcos has approved the start of negotiations with France for a visiting forces agreement.
Beijing claims almost the entire South China Sea, a vital trade artery, despite overlapping maritime claims by Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam, angering its neighbors.
In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague said Beijing’s claims had no legal basis, a ruling rejected by the Chinese government.
Teodoro, meanwhile, said the Philippines would send more Filipino peacekeepers to the UN missions to contribute to a “safer and more secure world.”
Peacekeeping commitment
The DND said Teodoro made the commitment at the UN Peacekeeping Ministerial Meeting in Berlin, a gathering of 150 high-level delegations from different countries.
Teodoro pledged to deploy a light infantry battalion from the Armed Forces of the Philippines and a formed police unit under the UN Peacekeeping Capability Readiness System.
“The Philippines will also continue to deploy military observers and individual police officers to support staff offices of UN missions worldwide,” he said.
“The Philippines stands ready to contribute to a safer and more secure world as a trusted partner, pathfinder and peacemaker in the pursuit of lasting and sustainable peace,” he added.
Based on the UN Peacekeeping site, the Philippines’ contribution to UN peacekeeping operations as of February includes police officers, nine experts on mission and a staff officer.
The DND said the Philippines has a current bid for a nonpermanent seat in the UN Security Council, with Teodoro expressing the country’s “readiness to play an active role in addressing global security concerns.” —WITH A REPORT FROM REUTERS
