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

China has often accused the Philippines of acting arsenic a ‘troublemaker’ and ‘saboteur of determination stability’.

The Philippines and Canada person signed a defence pact to grow associated subject drills and deepen information practice successful a determination wide seen arsenic a effect to China’s increasing assertiveness successful the region, astir notably successful the disputed South China Sea.

Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr and Canadian Defence Minister David McGuinty inked the Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA) connected Sunday aft a closed-door gathering successful Manila.

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McGuinty said the woody would fortify associated training, accusation sharing, and coordination during humanitarian crises and earthy disasters.

Teodoro described the pact arsenic captious for upholding what helium called a rules-based planetary bid successful the Asia-Pacific, wherever helium accused China of expansionism. “Who is hegemonic? Who wants to grow their territory successful the world? China,” helium told reporters.

The statement provides the ineligible model for Canadian troops to instrumentality portion successful subject exercises successful the Philippines and vice versa. It mirrors akin accords Manila has signed with the United States, Australia, Japan and New Zealand.

China has not yet commented connected the deal, but it has often accused the Philippines of being a “troublemaker” and “saboteur of determination stability” aft associated patrols and subject exercises with its Western allies successful the South China Sea.

Beijing claims astir the full waterway, a captious planetary shipping lane, thereby ignoring a 2016 planetary tribunal ruling that dismissed its territorial claims arsenic unlawful. Chinese coastguard vessels person repeatedly utilized h2o cannon and blocking tactics against Philippine ships, starring to collisions and injuries.

Teodoro utilized a determination defence ministers gathering successful Malaysia implicit the play to condemn China’s declaration of a “nature reserve” astir the contested Scarborough Shoal, which Manila besides claims.

“This, to us, is simply a veiled effort to wield subject mightiness and the menace of force, undermining the rights of smaller countries and their citizens who trust connected the bounty of these waters,” helium said.

Talks are nether mode by the Philippines for akin defence agreements with France, Singapore, Britain, Germany and India arsenic Manila continues to fortify its defence partnerships amid rising tensions with Beijing.