West PH Sea: US, Philippines sign deal on sharing military information

United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III, left, and Philippine Secretary of National Defense Gilberto C. Teodoro, Jr. exchange documents after signing a General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) at Camp Aguinaldo military headquarters in Quezon City, Philippines on Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

MANILA, Philippines — US and Philippine defense chiefs signed an agreement Monday on sharing classified military information and technology, as the long-time treaty allies deepen cooperation in a bid to counter Chinese influence in the region.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin signed the deal with his Philippine counterpart Gilberto Teodoro at the start of a visit to Manila that will also include a meeting with President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

The General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) allows for the sharing of classified information that could benefit a US ally’s national defense, and streamlines the sale of certain classified technologies, officials said.

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The US Department of Defense had previously conducted a security assessment of selected Philippine military facilities, one of the requirements for the formalization of the GSOMIA.

Austin and Teodoro did not make any remarks at the signing ceremony, but the Philippine defense department said the document was “a critical step to enhance information sharing and deepen interoperability between the Philippines and the US”.

Teodoro awarded the Outstanding Achievement Medal to Austin during the ceremony, recognizing his contributions to strengthening the bilateral defense ties between the Philippines and the US, as well as promoting regional security in the Indo-Pacific.

It comes as the Marcos government pushes back against Beijing’s territorial claims over most of the South China Sea and as president-elect Donald Trump prepares to return to office.

China has brushed aside an international ruling that its claims have no legal basis, and has deployed navy and coast guard vessels that Manila says harass its vessels and stop them accessing some reefs and islands in the waters.

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This has led to violent confrontations that have resulted in injuries to Filipino personnel and damage to their vessels in the past 18 months.

That has sparked concern the United States could be drawn into an armed conflict due to its mutual defense treaty with the Philippines.

The Philippine defense department said Austin is due to visit the western island of Palawan on Tuesday for a meeting with Filipino forces responsible for patrolling the West Philippine Sea and defending outposts. With a report from Jown Manalo/INQUIRER.net