The Philippines and France are finalizing the details of a Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), moving closer to an agreement that will allow French troops to legally operate in the country as Manila expands their security partnership amid tensions in the South China Sea.
France's Ambassador to the Philippines Marie Fontanel said on Tuesday the agreement could be signed within the next few months, following what she described as productive talks between the two sides.
“We are really optimistic that the signing can happen in the coming months, because the second round of talks showed that both sides, especially the Philippines, were willing to move this forward quickly,” he told reporters.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. approved negotiations on the agreement last year, making France the first European country to achieve a VFA with the Philippines. Such agreements provide the legal framework governing the entry, activities and jurisdiction of foreign troops during joint exercises and military cooperation.
“If we have high-level visits, signing opportunities, I'm sure that will happen,” Ms. Fontanelle said.
Talks began in Paris in June and continued in Manila in December, he said, adding that discussions now focused on finalizing the wording of the agreement.
“The second conversation… went very well,” he said. “Let's hope this could have been the last conversation.”
The Philippine Department of National Defense last month said the two sides held a “successful” round of talks aimed at deepening defense ties, improving interoperability and strengthening cooperation in support of regional peace and stability.
“There are ongoing discussions to finalize the final wording and ensure that each party is in agreement with the text,” Ms. Fontanel said, without giving further details.
The push for closer defense ties comes as Manila has expanded its security partnerships beyond the US, seeking agreements with countries such as the UK, Canada, New Zealand and Australia, as the confrontation with China in the South China Sea intensifies.
Ms Fontanel said France intends to maintain and expand cooperation with the Philippines, especially in defense and security.
“The situation requires us to continue what we have done in the past – our partnership with the Philippines, our presence and discussions on agreements, especially in the area of defense and security,” he said.
France is also looking to take part in this year's Balikatan military exercises, the Philippines' largest annual exercise with US and allied forces.
“Last year, we could only be observers, and the year before that we had our first active participation,” Ms. Fontanelle said.
Asked whether France would deploy ground or air units, he said: “Both.”
Balikatan is designed to strengthen defense cooperation and improve interoperability between allied forces, as Philippine ships and aircraft face frequent encounters with Chinese ships and aircraft in disputed waters.
In 2016 a UN-backed tribunal ruled that China's sweeping claims to much of the South China Sea had no legal basis, a decision Beijing rejects.
The waterway is a major global trade route, with more than $3 trillion worth of commerce passing through it each year. — Adrian H. Halili