Philippines, Canada sign pact on troops to deepen defence ties

The Philippines and Canada signed a pact on Sunday for their armed forces to train on each other's soil, boosting defence cooperation to tackle common security concerns in the Indo-Pacific region.

Canada's first such deal in the region, the Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA) takes to five the number of accords on troops Manila has concluded with allies. 

The deal broadens the Philippines' network of security ties while complementing a long-standing alliance with its treaty partner, the United States.

The pact sets up a framework for expanded military and defence cooperation, to improve coordination of operations by both armed forces.

Canada has consistently supported the Philippines' position in the South China Sea, backing a 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration that invalidated China's sweeping maritime claims. Beijing has rejected the tribunal's decision.

In 2023, both countries agreed to use Ottawa's Dark Vessel Detection System to identify ships engaged in illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, by tracking vessels that have disabled location transmitters to avoid detection.

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