Philippines to Sign Defence Pact with Singapore Amid Rising Tensions

The Philippines is set to sign a Defense Cooperation Agreement with Singapore to broaden military engagement, including joint exercises for humanitarian emergencies. This move is part of a broader strategy by the Philippines to strengthen security alliances, amid rising territorial disputes with China in the South China Sea.

The Philippines is signing a defence pact with Singapore on Wednesday to broaden their military engagement, including joint exercises to prepare for humanitarian emergencies and other contingencies, according to Philippine officials.

Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro will sign the Defence Cooperation Agreement with his counterpart in Singapore, as confirmed by two Philippine officials who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. Specific details of the agreement were not immediately available.

Amid increased territorial tensions with China over disputed shoals in the South China Sea, the administration of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is working to establish new security alliances with both Asian and Western countries. This includes allowing a more significant U.S. military presence at Philippine bases under a 2014 defense pact.

During his state of the nation address before the Philippine Congress on Monday, Marcos emphasized that while the Philippines will not back down from territorial disputes, they would resolve conflicts through peaceful means and strengthen security alliances with friendly nations.

“In the face of challenges to our territorial sovereignty, we will assert our rights and interests in the same fair and pacific way that we have always done,” Marcos said, adding that efforts are ongoing “to strengthen our defence posture, both through developing self-reliance and through partnerships with like-minded states.”

Earlier this month, the Philippines and Japan signed the Reciprocal Access Agreement, allowing the deployment of their forces in each other’s territories for joint military exercises amid an increasingly assertive China. Japan and the Philippines have separate maritime territorial disputes with China.

The new agreement will take effect after ratification by the legislatures of both countries.

The Philippines is also in separate talks with Canada, New Zealand, and France on similar defence agreements, according to two Philippine officials.

As treaty allies of the United States, Japan and the Philippines participated in three-way talks in April at the White House, where President Joe Biden reaffirmed Washington’s “ironclad” commitment to their defense.