Pakistan, May 16 -- Germany and the Philippines have signed a new defense cooperation agreement as Manila continues to strengthen international partnerships in response to rising tensions in the South China Sea. The deal was signed in Berlin on Wednesday by Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro and his German counterpart Boris Pistorius.

According to the Philippine defense ministry, the agreement will expand collaboration in areas such as cybersecurity, defense logistics, armament development, and peacekeeping operations under the United Nations. This move reflects both countries' shared interest in upholding security and freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific region.

The new deal builds on commitments made during Pistorius' ...