German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and his Philippine counterpart Gilberto Teodoro pledged to establish a long-term relationship between the two countries' armed forces to expand bilateral training and exchanges, explore opportunities to expand bilateral arms cooperation and engage in joint projects.

The two sides met in the Philippine capital Manila on the first visit by a German defense minister, as the two countries celebrate 70 years of diplomatic relations.

In a press conference with Mr Pistorius, Secretary Teodoro said the Philippines was looking to modernise its military to strengthen its defences and would “look to Germany as a potential supplier for these capabilities”, including “command and control, anti-air, anti-sea and in equipment with higher technological capabilities”.

Germany and the Philippines are strengthening military ties amid tensions that have flared in recent months in the South China Sea, a vital trade route through which more than $3 trillion worth of goods pass each year.

Earlier on August 2, Germany joined the US-led United Nations Command in South Korea, becoming the 18th country in the group. Mr. Pistorius said the move was evidence of Berlin's strong belief that European security is closely linked to security in the Indo-Pacific region.

In Manila, Mr Pistorius stressed that Germany's commitments in the region "are not aimed at anyone, instead we focus on maintaining a rules-based order, ensuring freedom of navigation and protecting trade routes".

Ngoc Anh (according to Reuters)