THE PHILIPPINES and Germany on Sunday vowed to boost their defense ties, citing security challenges including attempts to advance expansive claims through force.

The two nations recognize “the wide array of opportunities” to enhance bilateral defense relations amid common security challenges, German Federal Minister of Defense Boris Pistorius and Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, Jr. said in a joint statement after a meeting in Manila.

They “committed to conclude a broader arrangement on defense cooperation, which will expand the scope of mutually beneficial cooperation between the Philippines and Germany into new areas.”

The Philippines, which has been struggling to stop Chinese expansionism in the South China Sea, and Germany, which on Friday joined a US-led United Nations Command in South Korea amid increasing nuclear threats from North Korea, are celebrating 70 years of diplomatic relations.

Germany and other European nations have been at the forefront of international condemnation of Chinese aggression in the waterway, which Beijing claims almost in its entirety.

The meeting was held just as Manila was monitoring a Chinese research vessel roaming around features west of the Philippine island of Palawan.

In their joint statement, the Defense chiefs reaffirmed that a 2016 arbitral ruling that voided China’s claims “final and legally binding.”

They exchanged views on security issues in the Indo-Pacific region and Eastern Europe, and opposed unilateral attempts to advance expansive claims, especially through force or coercion.

“Against the background of concerted efforts to deepen bilateral relations in a comprehensive manner, the ministers expressed their unwavering commitment to the revitalization of Philippine-Germany defense relations, recalling that Germany is one of the Philippines’ oldest formal defense partners through the 1974 Administrative Agreement concerning Training of Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Personnel in Germany,” they said.

“Germany has been exploring how to extend its own Indo-Pacific strategy in the Philippines as more Western European powers are racing for diplomatic, economic and strategic influence in the most dynamic region in the world,” Chester B. Cabalza, founder of Manila-based International Development and Security Cooperation, said in a Facebook Messenger chat.

“Berlin has been helping the country’s armed forces in software capabilities by actively engaging in security sector reform efforts, including increasing economic trade and investments,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Philippines and Cambodia have committed to expand their ties in defense, cybersecurity and disaster response, according to the Philippine Embassy in Cambodia.

In a statement on Aug. 2, the embassy said Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet had told Philippine Army Commanding General Roy M. Galido and Philippine Ambassador to Cambodia Camille P. Mayo during their courtesy call in Phnom Penh on July 29 that his country wants to set up more capacity building programs with Manila’s military.

“Prime Minister Hun Manet, who once served as the Cambodian Army’s commander, articulated his country’s interest in capacity building, resource and experience sharing and unit-to-unit engagements in the areas of nontraditional threats, cybersecurity and humanitarian assistance and disaster response,” it said.

Mr. Galido also met with his Cambodian counterpart General Mao Sophan on July 26 to discuss more joint military exercises on counterterrorism.

Both militaries held a joint counterterrorism training course on July 26 in Kampong Speu province, with 100 miliary officers from both countries participating.

“Our combined efforts on the diplomatic and defense fronts are well-placed investments in our peoples’ shared future and prosperity that thrives on a rules-based order,” Ms. Mayo said. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza and John Victor D. Ordoñez