A newly minted military agreement between the Philippines and New Zealand reflects deepening defence cooperation among “like-minded democracies” and positions Wellington as a more active player in Southeast Asian security, but analysts caution that the move also marks a hawkish shift likely to strain ties with China.
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The Status of Visiting Forces Agreement, signed in Manila on April 30, paves the way for joint military exercises between the two nations. Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jnr and his New Zealand counterpart Judith Collins finalised the pact in a ceremony overseen by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr.
The deal is part of a broader push by Manila to bolster security partnerships amid ongoing tensions with Beijing in the South China Sea. Similar arrangements are already in place with the United States and Australia, while a pact with Japan is awaiting approval by Tokyo’s Diet. Talks have also concluded for a defence agreement with Canada.
“These partnerships have become very important in the face of all that is happening,” Marcos Jnr said during the signing ceremony.
Collins echoed this sentiment in a statement ahead of the signing, saying New Zealand was “committed to reinvigorating our security relationships” and partnering with nations like the Philippines “to uphold the international rules-based order”.
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