The Philippines and Canada have signed a new defence pact to expand joint military drills and deepen security cooperation, a move seen as a direct response to China’s growing assertiveness in the South China Sea. Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and Canadian Defence Minister David McGuinty signed the Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA) on Sunday after a closed-door meeting in Manila.
McGuinty said the deal would strengthen “joint training, information sharing, and coordination during humanitarian crises and natural disasters.” The agreement provides the legal framework for Canadian troops to take part in military exercises in the Philippines and vice versa, similar to accords Manila already has with the United States, Australia, Japan, and New Zealand.
Teodoro described the pact as vital for maintaining “a rules-based international order in the Asia-Pacific,” directly accusing China of expansionism. “Who is hegemonic? Who wants to expand their territory in the world? China,” he said. He also used a recent regional defence ministers meeting in Malaysia to condemn Beijing’s move to declare a “nature reserve” around the disputed Scarborough Shoal, calling it “a veiled attempt to wield military might and the threat of force, undermining the rights of smaller countries and their citizens who rely on the bounty of these waters.”
China has not issued an official response to the agreement but has repeatedly accused the Philippines of acting as a “troublemaker” and “saboteur of regional stability” after Manila increased joint patrols with Western allies. Beijing continues to claim nearly the entire South China Sea, ignoring a 2016 international tribunal ruling that dismissed its claims as unlawful. Chinese coastguard vessels have been accused of using water cannons and dangerous blocking maneuvers against Philippine ships, causing multiple collisions and injuries.
Talks are already underway for similar defence partnerships between the Philippines and countries including France, Singapore, Britain, Germany, and India, as Manila continues to build stronger alliances to counter Beijing’s growing aggression.
