• Military

• WMD Menu                           

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Canada-Philippines defense pact 'more gesture than substantive military significance': expert

Global Times

By Xu Keyue Published: Nov 03, 2025 06:33 PM

In response to media reports that Philippines and Canada on Sunday signed a pact that targets "China's military activities in the South China Sea," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Monday that China always believes that countries' defense and security cooperation should not target any third party or harm their interests.

To flex muscle and stoke confrontation is not conducive to regional peace and stability, Mao said.

Some Chinese experts believe this agreement remains a geopolitical move aligned with the US "Indo-Pacific Strategy," but the practical significance of the pact is minimal. For Canada, signing the pact served more as a "gesture to assert its presence;" for Philippines, which has signed similar ones with Japan and New Zealand, its apparent attempts to introduce external forces to make troubles in the water will undermine regional peace, stability, and cooperation, experts said.

The Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA) is Canada's first such military pact with an Asia-Pacific country, Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. claimed in a joint briefing with his Canadian counterpart David McGuinty, Bloomberg reported Sunday.

According to the news release by the Canadian government, the military agreement will allow the Canadian Armed Forces and the Armed Forces of the Philippines to work more closely together through participation in joint and multinational operations and exercises in each other's territories.

McGuinty said the agreement will boost joint military training, information-sharing and cooperation in addressing emergencies, including responding to natural disasters, AP reported Sunday.

McGuinty said Canada hopes to be present at next year's annual flagship military drills by the Philippines and the US, Bloomberg reported.

Teodoro claimed that the agreement will be "key to fostering a rules-based international order" in the region, citing the so-called China's presence, AP reported.

Huang Zhong, an associate researcher at the Center for Canadian Studies, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, told the Global Times on Monday that the agreement's content shows that Canada's military cooperation with the Philippines remains quite limited. "Its practical significance is minimal, serving more as a gesture to assert its presence," Huang said.

Ding Duo, director of the Research Center for International and Regional Studies at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, told the Global Times on Monday that "Canada is attempting to balance security and economic interests, but this ambivalent approach reflects its lack of an independent foreign policy."

Ding pointed out that blindly following US strategy in handling ties with China has already cost Canada dearly economically. Under strong US pressure, Canada currently has greater need for cooperation with China to achieve its goals of diplomatic and trade diversification, according to Huang.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said that he hopes to reset expectations in Canada's relationship with China and looks forward to meeting Chinese leader during the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting in South Korea, according to media reports on October 27.

Ottawa must recognize that engaging in petty maneuvers on so-called maritime security issues in the Asia-Pacific risks damaging its international image and development prospects, said Ding. "A wiser approach would be to discard Cold War mentality and play a constructive role in promoting regional cooperation," the expert said.

The Philippines earlier forged similar pacts with Japan and New Zealand and is eyeing agreements with France and the UK, Bloomberg reported.

Ding warned that while Manila is attempting to draw in external forces to stir up tensions in the South China Sea, such a "patchwork partnership" lacks a solid foundation, struggles to generate effective synergy, and could ultimately leave the Philippines strategically isolated.

In July 2024 when the Philippines and Japan signed a reciprocal access agreement, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian commented on the issue, stating that "the exchange and cooperation between countries should not undermine the mutual understanding and trust between other countries in the region. It should not threaten regional peace and stability, target any third party, or harm the interests of any third party."

The Asia-Pacific region does not need any military bloc, still less groupings that incite bloc confrontation or a new Cold War. Any move that undermines regional peace and stability, and harms regional solidarity and cooperation will be met with vigilance and opposition from people in regional countries, according to Lin.