Australia will provide the Philippines with drone equipment, training, and other technology to strengthen its Coast Guard maritime domain, awareness, and protection capabilities.
The announcement follows a visit to the Philippines by Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong on May 18 and comes as the Southeast Asian nation is engaged in an increasingly hostile maritime dispute with Beijing.
Wong told journalists that the Australian government was “deeply committed” to elevating the relationship between the two countries to that of a strategic partnership as both are like-minded partners who seek a peaceful, open, and stable region.
“We think that finalises what is already in practice a strategic partnership and a formal strategic partnership recognises the importance of our relationship and the depth and breadth of our cooperation,” the foreign minister said….