Speaking at the Reuters NEXT forum in Singapore, Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said the agreement with Canada would allow joint military exercises and enhance bilateral cooperation. “It is a coalition of unity that we are creating here, to create some momentum in resilience because of our shared desire for a free and open Indo-Pacific,” he stated.

In addition to the Canada deal, Manila is currently negotiating similar agreements with France and India, and has already signed defense pacts with Japan and New Zealand. These partnerships reflect a broader shift in Philippine defense policy aimed at countering what Teodoro described as China’s “illegal incursions” in the South China Sea.

Balancing Deterrence and Diplomacy

While reaffirming the importance of diplomatic solutions, Teodoro emphasized that dialogue with China must be backed by a “credible deterrent force.” The Philippines has repeatedly accused Chinese vessels of aggressive behavior, including ramming and obstructing Filipino ships in contested maritime zones.

“The prospect of war is not imminent—I believe it is remote,” Teodoro said. “But that would depend entirely upon the internal conditions of China.”

The Philippines, a longstanding U.S. treaty ally, is positioning itself at the center of emerging Indo-Pacific security networks. These moves come as tensions rise between China and regional states over access to fisheries, trade routes, and military outposts in the resource-rich waterway.