The Philippines and the European Union have agreed to launch a security and defense dialogue aimed at addressing emerging challenges such as cyber threats and foreign interference, Philippine Foreign Minister Enrique Manalo announced on Monday.
The statement was made during the visit of EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas to Manila, where she met with Manalo and paid a courtesy call to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Manalo said the planned dialogue would help both parties stay proactive and unified in confronting cross-border threats, particularly in cyberspace and the spread of disinformation.
Kallas described the initiative as a "dedicated platform" for enhancing defense collaboration, exchanging security expertise, and exploring joint projects. The dialogue will form part of the broader Partnership and Cooperation Agreement signed between the Philippines and the EU, which began in 2012 and came into force in 2018.
Kallas reaffirmed the EU's support for a rules-based international order, peaceful conflict resolution, and joint efforts to address tensions in the South China Sea and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
"We oppose any unilateral attempts to change the status quo through coercion", she said, when asked about the EU’s stance on China’s activities in Taiwan and the South China Sea.
China asserts broad territorial claims in the South China Sea, overlapping with the exclusive economic zones of several Southeast Asian nations, including the Philippines.
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Transport groups across the Philippines launched a nationwide strike on Thursday in protest against rising oil prices. The action affected 15 to 20 protest centres in Metro Manila, with similar demonstrations taking place across several major provinces.
China’s military said on Friday it had conducted a routine patrol in the South China Sea from 23 to 26 February, accusing the Philippines of “disrupting” regional peace and stability by organising joint patrols with countries outside the region.
The Philippine foreign ministry on Wednesday (11 February) called on the Chinese Embassy in Manila to adopt a “constructive” tone in its statements, amid an intensifying war of words between Chinese diplomats and Philippine officials, including senators.
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One U.S. crew member has been rescued after two American warplanes were downed over Iran and the Gulf, as the search continues for a missing pilot, while President Donald Trump has given Tehran 48 hours to agree to a deal to end the war.
The U.N. Security Council is expected to vote next week on a Bahraini resolution to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and protect commercial shipping, diplomats said on Friday, amid opposition from China to any authorisation of force.
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British police have arrested a fourth person in connection with an arson attack on ambulances belonging to a Jewish community charity. The arrest took place at a London court on Saturday, where three other suspects were already appearing.
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