Philippines, Australia aim to sign new defence pact in 2026

Manila: The Philippines and Australia plan to sign a new pact to develop the Southeast Asian nation s military infrastructure, their defence chiefs sa...

Manila: The Philippines and Australia plan to sign a new pact to develop the Southeast Asian nation's military infrastructure, their defence chiefs said on Friday, as they seek to counter China's "unilateral activities" in the region.

The plan was announced as Australia and the Philippines staged joint military exercises, which included live-fire drills and involved about 3,600 personnel, in the western and northern Philippines.

Beijing and Manila have had a series of confrontations in the disputed South China Sea, a crucial waterway China claims in almost its entirety despite an international ruling that its stance has no legal basis.

"We both acknowledge and are experiencing the pressure that the rules-based order is being placed under here in the Indo-Pacific," Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles told reporters after meeting his Philippine counterpart in Manila.

He said the new pact, expected to be signed next year, would seek to boost the Philippines' defence infrastructure and better coordinate military exercises between them.