Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese witnessed the signing of the Philippines-Australia Defense Cooperation Arrangement in Manila on Sunday, during his visit for the 49th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit, Anadolu Agency reported.
Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and Australian Ambassador Marc Innes-Brown signed the agreement at Manila South Harbor.
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The new arrangement updates a 1995 memorandum of understanding on defense cooperation between the two countries, according to Rappler News.
Teodoro said the agreement would speed up coordination and streamline procedures under the Status of Visiting Forces Agreement, which has been in effect since 2012.
The framework allows military personnel from both countries to enter each other’s territory for joint training exercises and humanitarian response operations.
The Philippines and Australia upgraded their bilateral relations to a strategic partnership in September 2023.
Asked whether the new agreement would contribute to deterrence in the Taiwan Strait, Teodoro said its primary focus was protecting Philippine territory and maritime interests.
He said the arrangement would strengthen Manila’s deterrence posture in the West Philippine Sea and areas under Philippine jurisdiction.
The agreement comes amid ongoing territorial disputes between the Philippines and China in the South China Sea, where the two countries have overlapping maritime claims.
Teodoro said the upgraded arrangement would also facilitate more joint maritime, air and land activities between the Philippine and Australian armed forces.
