Canada, Philippines sign defence pact to deter Beijing in South China Sea

In a move widely accepted as a response to China’s growing assertiveness in the region, especially in the disputed South China Sea, the Philippines and Canada have signed a defense pact to expand joint military exercises and intensify security cooperation.

After a closed-door meeting in Manila on Sunday, Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and Canadian Defense Minister David McGuinty signed the Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA).

According to McGuinty, the agreement will improve coordination, information sharing, and joint training for humanitarian crises and natural disasters.

Teodoro argued that the pact was necessary to uphold what he called a rules-based international order in Asia-Pacific, which China had accused of expansionism. Hegemonic, who is he? Who wants to enlarge their global footprint? “China,” he told the media.

The Philippines military exercises can be conducted under the terms of the agreement, and vice versa. Similar agreements have been reached by Manila with the United States, Australia, Japan, and New Zealand.

After joint patrols and military exercises with its Western allies in the South China Sea, China has frequently called the Philippines a “troublemaker” and “saboteur of regional stability.”

Beijing ignores a 2016 international tribunal ruling that declared its territorial claims to be unlawful and claims almost the entire waterway, a crucial global shipping lane. Chinese coastguard vessels have repeatedly sunk into Philippine ships using water cannon and blocking techniques, causing injuries and collisions.

Teodoro criticized China’s designation of a “nature reserve” around the disputed Scarborough Shoal, which Manila also asserts, at a regional defence ministers meeting in Malaysia over the weekend.

According to him, “this is a veiled attempt to wield military might and the threat of force, undermining the rights of smaller countries and their citizens who rely on these waters’ bounty,” he said.