(Radio Free Asia) The Philippines and Australia have agreed to formalize their “strategic” defense engagement through an annual meeting, their defense chiefs said Wednesday, as both countries look to counter Beijing’s growing military influence especially in the South China Sea.
Philippine Defense Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. and Richard Marles, his Australian counterpart, made the announcement after a closed-door meeting in Manila, according to BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated news service, on the same day that Washington also backed the Southeast Asian nation, whose coast guard was threatened recently by a Chinese ship during an incident in the disputed maritime region.
At a joint post-meeting press conference, Marles underscored “deep connections” between Australia and the Philippines, which already have been cooperating in anti-terrorism training in the southern Philippine region of Mindanao… Read More
