Manila [Philippines], November 2 (ANI): Canada and the Philippines, both outspoken critics of China’s actions in the disputed South China Sea, are set to sign a landmark defense agreement on Sunday that will allow their forces to conduct joint battle-readiness drills and enhance regional security cooperation, Philippine officials said.
According to ABC News, the pact seeks to strengthen defense ties and boost deterrence amid growing Chinese assertiveness in the South China Sea. Canada and other Western nations have stepped up their military presence in the Indo-Pacific to promote the rule of law and safeguard trade and investment routes.
The initiative aligns with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s strategy to deepen defense partnerships as the Philippines faces an increasingly powerful China in the contested waters.
There was no immediate response from Beijing, which has accused the Philippines of being a “troublemaker” and a “saboteur of regional stability” for holding joint patrols and military exercises with the United States and other allied nations.
China claims nearly the entire South China Sea, despite a 2016 international arbitration ruling that invalidated its expansive claims under the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. ABC News reported that Beijing continues to defy the ruling, employing water cannons and aggressive maneuvers against Philippine coast guard and fisheries vessels — actions that have caused minor collisions and injuries to Filipino personnel. Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan are also claimants in the long-standing maritime dispute.
Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. is scheduled to sign the Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA) with Canadian Defense Minister David McGuinty after their meeting in Manila on Sunday, according to the Department of National Defense. The agreement will take effect upon ratification.
The SOVFA establishes a legal framework for the temporary deployment of foreign troops, their weapons, and joint military activities in each other’s territories. The Philippines first signed such an agreement with the United States in 1998, followed by Australia in 2007.
The accord with Canada marks the third defense pact concluded under the Marcos Jr. administration, following similar agreements with Japan and New Zealand. Talks are also underway with France and Singapore for comparable arrangements, while efforts continue to explore deals with the United Kingdom, Germany, and India.
During the annual ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting held in Malaysia, Teodoro renewed his criticism of Beijing’s latest moves in the South China Sea, particularly China’s plan to establish a “nature reserve” in the Scarborough Shoal — a rich fishing area claimed by both nations.
“This, to us, is a veiled attempt to wield military might and the threat of force, undermining the rights of smaller countries and their citizens who rely on the bounty of these waters,” Teodoro said.
Canada also condemned China’s actions, opposing what it called attempts to use environmental protection as a pretext for asserting control over disputed territories. When Chinese ships forcibly drove away Philippine vessels in September, Canada denounced the “dangerous use of water cannons” that injured a Filipino fisheries officer.
Canadian Ambassador to Manila David Hartman reaffirmed his country’s stance, saying Canada has been “vocal in confronting the provocative and unlawful actions of the People’s Republic of China in the South China Sea and the West Philippine Sea” and “will continue to do so.”
In recent years, both nations have expanded security cooperation. In 2022, Canada and the Philippines signed a defense cooperation agreement, followed by a 2023 accord in Ottawa granting Manila access to data from Canada’s Dark Vessel Detection System — a satellite-based technology that tracks vessels operating illegally with their transponders turned off.
According to ABC News, the Philippine Coast Guard has since used this Canadian system to monitor Chinese coast guard and fishing ships in the disputed South China Sea. (ANI)
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