Why is the Philippines strengthening military ties with partners thousands of kilometres away?
The answer lies in the increasingly tense waters of the South China Sea.
In a fresh step toward deeper defence cooperation, Manila and France have signed a visiting forces agreement.
Allowing their troops to train and operate in each other’s territory.
The deal was formalised in Paris by Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro and French Armed Forces Minister Catherine Vautrin.
Officials say the agreement will strengthen joint military exercises and provide legal protection for troops participating in them.
In simple terms: more cooperation, clearer rules.
The move also sends a signal. Both countries stressed the importance of maintaining a “rules-based international order” and resolving disputes peacefully.
Language widely interpreted as a response to growing friction with China.
Tensions In South China Sea
The timing is telling. Just a day earlier, the Philippine military accused a Chinese missile frigate of making an “unsafe and unprofessional manoeuvre” near Thitu Island.
One of Manila’s strategic outposts in the contested sea.
Beijing claims most of the South China Sea despite a 2016 international ruling rejecting those claims.
More than $3 trillion in trade passes through the waters each year.
The Philippines already has similar agreements with the United States, Australia, Japan and New Zealand.
For Manila, the message is clear: in turbulent waters, it pays to have more friends on deck.
