The Philippines and Germany committed Sunday (4/8) to signing a defense cooperation arrangement this year, pledging to uphold the international rules-based order in the region, as tensions rise in disputed areas of the South China Sea.
China and the Philippines have traded accusations in recent months over clashes in the South China Sea, including allegations that Chinese vessels deliberately rammed Manila navy vessels, seriously injuring a Filipino sailor. Beijing denies the allegations, saying its actions were legal and professional.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and his Philippine counterpart, Defense Minister Gilberto Teodoro, committed to building long-term relations between their countries' armed forces to expand bilateral training and exchanges, explore opportunities to expand bilateral arms cooperation and engage in joint projects.
The meeting in Manila was part of the first visit by a German defence minister for such purposes, as the two countries mark 70 years of diplomatic relations.
China claims sovereignty over most of the South China Sea, including areas claimed as exclusive economic zones by Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia. In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague said Beijing's claims had no legal basis. China rejected the ruling.
“This ruling stands, without any exceptions,” Pistorius said. “It is our duty to comply.” China’s Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Teodoro said the Philippines, which is seeking to modernize its military to boost its external defense, would “seek to engage Germany as a potential provider of these capabilities.” “These are capabilities in command and control, air access control, maritime domain, air domain and in higher-tech equipment,” Teodoro said at a joint press conference with Pistorius.
China has expressed concern over the increasingly close ties between NATO members and Asian countries such as Japan, South Korea and the Philippines, while Washington and its partners expand alliances and partnerships, including at the global level.
Germany last Friday joined the U.S.-led UN Command in South Korea, becoming the 18th country in the group that helps police the heavily fortified border with North Korea and has committed to defending South Korea in the event of war.
Pistorius said the move was evidence of Berlin's strong belief that European security is inextricably linked to security in the Indo-Pacific.
Germany’s commitment and engagement in the region “is not directed at anyone,” Pistorius said in Manila. “But we are focused on maintaining the international rules-based order, ensuring freedom of navigation and protecting trade routes.”
The South China Sea is a vital trade route through which more than $3 trillion worth of goods pass each year.
Teodoro said the Philippines was not provoking China and did not want war, but he reiterated Manila's stance that the only
The only cause of conflict in the waters is “China’s illegal and unilateral attempts to control most or all of the South China Sea.”
Manila reached a tentative agreement with China for a logistics supply mission in the South China Sea last month in a bid to ease tensions and resolve disputes. Details of the deal have not been made public. (uh/ab)
