Philippines and New Zealand in Talks for Defense Pact

The Philippines and New Zealand have begun negotiating an agreement that would allow them to deploy troops on each other’s soil, the two countries said Wednesday, as concerns over maritime tensions with China grow.

Manila has been seeking to boost defense ties in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond in the face of China’s growing confidence in asserting its claims over the hotspot South China Sea.

A first round of talks was held in Manila on Thursday between the Philippines and New Zealand’s defense departments, they said in a joint statement.

“The first round of negotiations marked an important step in strengthening bilateral defense ties between the Philippines and New Zealand,” the statement said.

The Status of Visiting Forces Agreement will provide the legal framework for both countries “to elevate their cooperative activities and conduct exercises in each other’s territories, deepening overall defense and military cooperation,” it added.

New Zealand’s ambassador to the Philippines Catherine McIntosh attended the Manila meeting, while other members of Wellington’s delegation participated virtually.

From the Philippines’ side, negotiators included officials from the department of defense, justice and foreign affairs, as well as the Presidential Commission on Visiting Forces.

Last month, the Philippine Senate ratified the same defense agreement with Japan. The Southeast Asian country has also signed similar defense pacts with the US, Australia and has begun talks with France.

Beijing claims almost the entire South China Sea, brushing aside competing claims from several Southeast Asian nations, including the Philippines, and an international ruling that its stance has no legal basis.

There have been frequent clashes or tense standoffs between Philippine and Chinese vessels in the strategic waterway.