A proposed troop access deal between the Philippines and Britain marks the latest step in Manila’s drive to draw more European and like-minded powers into its efforts to safeguard the free flow of trade through the South China Sea and neighbouring waterways.
The visiting forces agreement would allow troops from both countries to train and operate temporarily on each other’s soil, a move analysts said could deepen the Philippines’ ties with Nato members and reduce its reliance on the US security umbrella.

Philippine and British defence officials met in Manila on Thursday last week for the first round of formal negotiations on the pact.

“We appreciate the UK’s unqualified support as a like-minded partner in upholding the rules-based international order and preserving freedoms ensured by the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea,” said Salvador Melchon Mison Jnr, defence undersecretary for acquisition and resource management, in a statement after meeting Amy Senior, Indo-Pacific head at Britain’s Ministry of Defence.

Talks began last year after London proposed the agreement in a letter from Britain’s then defence secretary, John Healey, to Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro.

The agreement would set out terms for British and Philippine troops to take part in joint exercises, training, humanitarian work and disaster response missions in each other’s territory.