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Philippines, Australia sign defence pact with eye on China
Reuters, Manila
Published: 15 Nov 2026, 07:50 PM
Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks with Philippine Secretary of National Defense Gilberto Teodoro Jr. beside the HMAS Stalwart as he arrives to sign the Philippines-Australia Defense Cooperation Arrangement (DCA) ahead of the 49th ASEAN Summit, in Manila, Philippines, 15 November 2026. Photo: REUTERS
The Philippines and Australia signed a defence cooperation
arrangement on Sunday that Manila said would lower bureaucratic hurdles to
joint military activities, as the two countries further deepen security ties.
Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said the
arrangement would streamline implementation of the bilateral Status of Visiting
Forces Agreement, or SOVFA, by simplifying coordination procedures.
"Rather than 100 steps to do a single thing, it will
just now take 10," Teodoro told reporters, describing the deal as an
"anti-red tape measure" for implementing SOVFA.
He said the arrangement would pave the way for closer
cooperation involving maritime, air and land forces, as well as humanitarian
and disaster response, and would bolster the Philippines' "credible
deterrence posture", including in the South China Sea.
China's defence and foreign ministries did not immediately
respond to requests for comment sent on Sunday.
The Philippines has been broadening its network of security ties while complementing a long-standing alliance with its treaty partner, the United States, in the face of what it describes as China's aggressive behaviour in the South China Sea, where countries have overlapping maritime claims.
Australia has consistently supported Manila's position on
the strategic waterway, backing a 2016 ruling by an international arbitral
tribunal that China's sweeping claims have no basis under international law, a
decision Beijing rejects.
Beijing maintains that its actions in the South China Sea
have been lawful and professional. It routinely opposes Manila's joint military
activities with its allied partners, saying such drills heighten tensions in
the region.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese witnessed the
signing of the defence pact in Manila, where he is attending a summit of the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
He said the agreement would enhance maritime awareness and
information sharing and increase strategic dialogue, training, interoperability
and defence infrastructure development.
Albanese announced additional Australian investment in maritime domain awareness, including drone technology, equipment and training aimed at improving detection of maritime and cybersecurity threats.