MANILA: An increasingly complex security environment means Japan and the Philippines need to further enhance their defence co-operation, Japanese defence minister Gen Nakatani said on Monday ahead of a bilateral meeting in Manila.
Philippines defence secretary Gilberto Teodoro said he would discuss the shared values of a rules-based international order at the talks, saying a resilient partnership was needed to guard against unilateral attempts by China and other countries to change the international order and the narrative.
Security ties between the two US allies have strengthened over the past two years as Japan and the Philippines share common concerns over Chinas increasingly assertive actions in the region.
Last year, Manila and Tokyo signed a landmark military pact allowing the deployment of their forces on each others soil.
As the regional and international security environments have become increasingly complex and intensified, there is an increasing need for Japan and the Philippines to further enhance defence co-operation and collaboration in order to contribute to the peace and stability in the region and international community, Nakatani said.
