Germany and the Philippines agree to cooperate on defence
Bilateral cooperation is of fundamental importance to the Philippines and Germany, he continued. "We are aware that, as a coastal state in the South China Sea, the Philippines relies particularly on all partners who adhere to international law. It is our duty to strengthen maritime order, and we are committed to that," the defense minister added.
Philippine Defense Minister Gilberto Teodoro said there was "only one reason for the conflict in the South China Sea, particularly in the West Philippine Sea." This was "China's unlawful and unilateral attempt to claim a large part, if not the entire South China Sea." Beijing relies on "vague" and "unfounded" historical rights.
Teodoro emphasized that the Philippines did not want to provoke Beijing and was not seeking war. The country was merely protecting its territory and citizens.
China claims almost the entire South China Sea and is in dispute with the Philippines and Japan, among others, over parts of the maritime area. Incidents occur regularly. Manila also signed a defense pact with Tokyo in July, under which maritime exercises took place this week for the first time.
Chinese military exercises near Taiwan also cause tension in the region and warnings from the U.S., which is an important ally for many island states in the region.
Pistorius is the first German defense minister to officially visit the Philippines. Both countries signed an administrative agreement in 1974 that included the training of Philippine troops in Germany.
One of the first steps in the strengthened cooperation is a planned visit by the German navy to the port of Manila in September, as announced by Pistorius. Joint naval exercises are also planned in the coming months.
In the region, the Bundeswehr plans maneuvers with other partner countries, involving the frigate "Baden-Württemberg" and the support ship "Frankfurt am Main". German ships will also contribute to the operational monitoring of UN sanctions against North Korea, the defense minister said. "We want a continuous engagement of the Bundeswehr in the Indo-Pacific."
The new agreement also makes increased arms deliveries from Germany to the Philippines possible. Teodoro named Germany as a "possible provider for our future capabilities" within his modernization plans. There is no concrete timeline yet, said Pistorius, but Manila and Berlin want to expand military cooperation "as far as possible."
At the same time, he said dialogue with China must be maintained. "We must contribute to de-escalation. That only works if we keep all communication channels open, including those to China."
Before his visit to the Philippines, Pistorius was in South Korea and Hawaii. On his return journey, a meeting with Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos is planned in Manila on Monday morning.
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The German Armed Forces have a notable role in this enhanced cooperation, as they previously trained Philippine troops in Germany under the 1974 administrative agreement. The defense minister also announced a planned visit of the German navy to Manila's port in September and discussed potential joint naval exercises.
