Canada and the Philippines to sign defence pact to strengthen joint drills and deter aggression - salam
SALAM - Canada and the Philippines, both critical of China’s increasingly forceful moves in the contested South China Sea, were set to sign an important defence agreement on Sunday to allow their militaries to conduct joint readiness exercises and broaden security partnerships aimed at deterring aggression, Philippine officials said. Western countries including Canada have been increasing their military presence in the Indo‑Pacific to support the rule of law and protect trade and investment in the region. These developments align with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s push to deepen defence ties so his country’s underfunded armed forces can better face a more powerful China in the disputed waters.
There was no immediate response from China, which has accused the Philippines of causing trouble for holding joint patrols and drills with the United States and others in the South China Sea. Beijing claims nearly the entire waterway - a vital trade route - despite a 2016 arbitration decision that rejected those claims under the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. China has ignored the ruling and continued actions that include powerful water cannon and risky blocking maneuvers against Philippine coast guard and fishing vessels, leading to minor collisions and injuries to Filipino personnel. Other claimants in the long‑running disputes include Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.
Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. was to sign a Status of Visiting Forces Agreement with Canadian counterpart David McGuinty after a Manila meeting, the Department of National Defence said. The pact will come into force after ratification. Such agreements set out the legal basis for temporary visits by foreign troops with their weapons and for large‑scale exercises on either country’s territory. The Philippines first signed this kind of pact with longtime treaty ally the United States in 1998, then with Australia in 2007. The Canada agreement would be the third under President Marcos, following accords with Japan and New Zealand. Talks continue with France and Singapore, and officials said discussions are also under way with the United Kingdom and possibly Germany and India.
Teodoro reiterated his concerns about China’s conduct at an annual meeting of ASEAN defence ministers and partners in Malaysia. He criticized China’s recent announcement to create a “nature reserve” at Scarborough Shoal - a rich fishing area claimed by both Manila and Beijing - calling it a veiled attempt to use environmental protection as a pretext to assert control and threaten smaller neighbours and those who depend on the sea.
Canada condemned China’s Scarborough plan when it was announced in September, saying it opposes attempts to use environmental measures to seize control. When Chinese vessels tried to drive away Philippine boats at the shoal, Canada also raised concerns about China’s “dangerous use of water cannons,” which injured a civilian Filipino fisheries officer during the incident. Canada’s ambassador to Manila said his country has been outspoken in challenging what it calls provocative and unlawful actions by the People’s Republic of China in the South China Sea and will continue to do so.
Last year Canada and the Philippines signed an agreement on defence cooperation. Another 2023 accord gave the Philippines access to data from Canada’s Dark Vessel Detection System, which uses satellite tech to track illegal ships even when they turn off location beacons. The Philippine coast guard has used that capability to monitor Chinese coast guard and fishing vessels in the disputed waters.
WASSALAM
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