Germany and the Philippines on Sunday said they planned to sign a defense agreement later this year to expand cooperation between their armed forces.

During talks in Manila, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and his Philippine counterpart, Gilberto Teodoro, committed to work more closely on military training and weapons procurement.

The partnership comes at a time when China is flexing its military muscles in disputed areas of the South China Sea, although Pistorius was at pains to stress the cooperation was not aimed at any specific country.

"Instead, we are focusing on maintaining rules-based order, securing freedom of navigation and protecting trade routes," he said.

Germany can play key role in Manila's military modernization

The Philippines has committed $35 billion (€32 billion) over the next decade to modernize its military to boost external defense capabilities amid escalating tensions with Beijing.

Manila has signed defense cooperation deals with other countries, including the United States, Japan, India and Sweden.

Teodoro said the Philippines would be "looking to engage Germany as a possible supplier of these [training and weapons] capabilities."

"These are in the command and control, anti-access aerial denial, maritime domain, aerial domain and in higher technologically capable equipment," he told a joint news conference.

Pistorius said the deal could be signed as early as October.

Fresh warning aimed at Beijing

Pistorius and Teodoro said they "strongly opposed any unilateral attempt to advance expansive claims, especially through force or coercion."

Teodoro said the Philippines was not provoking Beijing and did not seek war, but said the standoff was simply due to "China's illegal and unilateral attempt to appropriate most if not all of the South China Sea".

In recent months, Manila has had run-ins with Beijing over the disputed waters in the Indo-Pacific. Recently, the Philippines accused the Chinese military of intentionally ramming Manila's navy boats, seriously injuring a Filipino sailor.

China has claimed sovereignty over most of the South China Sea, including areas claimed as exclusive economic zones by Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia.

In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague said Beijing's claims had no legal basis. China rejects that decision.

South China Sea critical for global trade

The South China Sea is a vital trade route with more than $3 trillion in ship-borne goods and commodities passing through it every year, some 60% of global maritime trade.

Germany on Friday joined the US-led United Nations Command in South Korea, becoming the 18th nation in a group that helps police the heavily fortified border with North Korea.

The UN Command has committed to defend South Korea in the event of a war.

Sunday's visit to Manila was a first by a German defense minister, as their countries mark 70 years of diplomatic relations.

mm/rmt (DPA, Reuters)