The Philippines and Canada signed a visiting forces agreement on Sunday, expanding Manila’s defense partnerships amid growing tensions with China in the South China Sea.
The pact allows Canadian troops to join land-based joint exercises in the Philippines, adding to existing maritime patrol cooperation involving the US, Australia, Japan, and Canada.
Canadian Defence Minister David McGuinty said the accord strengthens ties with the Philippine military and supports Ottawa’s Indo-Pacific strategy for a “forward presence in the region.”
He added that Canada plans to participate in the Philippines’ annual Balikatan military drills next spring.
Manila, a US treaty ally, recently inked a similar deal with New Zealand and already maintains defense pacts with the US, Australia, and Japan. Talks for a comparable agreement with France are ongoing.
