A Vietnamese Coast Guard ship (back) uses its water cannon as it simulates the extinguishing of a fire on a Philippine Coast Guard boat during a joint maritime exercise off Bataan in the disputed South China Sea on August 9, 2024. The Philippine and Vietnamese coast guards held firefighting and search-and-rescue exercises off Manila on August 9, the first such drills between the two countries with maritime disputes with Beijing in the South China Sea. Ted Aljibe, AFP  

MANILA – The Philippines and Vietnam are looking into advancing its military and defense ties amid China’s increasing hostility in the South China Sea.

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said he and his Vietnamese counterpart, Gen. Phan Văn Giang, would sign defense cooperation agreements during the former’s scheduled visit in Manila on Friday. 

“We can hope to get some agreements signed once clearances are made. And on that basis, we can have a new momentum and impetus for working together on the defense side and on the military side,” Teodoro said in an international military forum in Manila on Tuesday that gathered senior military officials and government officials throughout the Indo-Pacific region.

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In a January visit to Vietnam by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the two countries agreed to boost cooperation in the South China Sea and “peacefully solve incidents at sea.”

China claims almost the entire South China Sea but the Philippines, Vietnam and several other nations claim various islands, islets, reefs and shoals in the crucial strategic waterway.

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“We do see fertile ground for working together in order to get a level of confidence and trust and hopefully the steps that we take can be replicated,” Teodoro said.

The Defense chief noted he also just signed a defense cooperation agreement with Singapore in July, and sees more cooperation with other Southeast Asian nations. 

“The intra ASEAN efforts are gaining momentum and I believe, starting this year, there will be a better chance of forging ASEAN way forward in so far as general principles are concerned in the South China Sea,” he said. 

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‘DISRUPTOR OF PEACE’

During the forum, Teodoro also slammed Beijing for being the “biggest disruptor” of peace in Southeast Asia.

“China is trying to break us apart,” Teodoro said. “In this region, China…is the biggest disruptor of international peace.”

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian quashed Teodoro’s remarks, saying the Philippines was the one “disrupting regional peace by stirring up troubles and making provocations, and stop the clumsy stunts of calling white black and falsely accusing China.”

“Who has kept carrying out infringement activities and provocations in the South China Sea? Who has brought in forces outside the region to disrupt regional peace and stability? Countries in the region are clear-eyed. China is the last one that can be accused of ‘disrupting peace,’” he said. 

This month, China repeatedly blocked and rammed Philippine vessels attempting to resupply troops in the West Philippine Sea, while also launching water cannon attacks. Beijing also conducted dangerous maneuvers and targeted Philippine patrol aircraft with flares.