Philippines, New Zealand boost defence ties
MANILA: Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon agreed on Thursday to deepen defence co-operation and expressed serious concern over the South China Sea, where the Philippines and China have had maritime run-ins.
China claims almost the entire South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion in annual ship commerce.
The Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei have competing claims over some parts of the South China Sea.
Marcos and Luxon also “recognised the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait,” according to a joint statement.
The Philippines and New Zealand will elevate their relations to a “comprehensive partnership” in 2026, Luxon told a joint press conference.
The countries also commited to concluding a Status of Visiting Forces Agreement, allowing joint military exercises and humanitarian missions.
Meanwhile, Philippine and US forces will simulate retaking enemy-occupied islands during joint military drills starting next week in areas facing Taiwan and the South China Sea as Manila shits its focus to external defence.
The annual “Balikatan” or “shoulder-toshoulder” drills, which will run from April 22 to May 10, will involve 16,700 soldiers who will train in maritime security, air and missile defence, dynamic missile strikes, cyber defence, and information operations.
It will be the first time the maritime exercises are carried out beyond Philippine territorial waters,” said Michael Logico, a Philippine army colonel overseeing the exercises.
Aimed at improving interoperability between the two militaries, the drills come against the backdrop of China’s recent aggressive behaviour in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait, flashpoints for Chinese and US tensions.
In response to the planned drills, China’s foreign ministry warned that the Philippines should be “sober enough to realise” that bringing in extra-territorial countries to show off their force in the South China Sea and provoke confrontation will only aggravate tensions and undermine regional stability.
“Attempts to bring in external forces to safeguard its so-called security will only lead to greater insecurity for itself,” ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said at a regular news conference, urging both countries to stop provocation.