The United Kingdom (UK) and the Philippines have agreed to start negotiations for a Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA), paving the way for military exercises between the two countries on each other’s territory, a top British official said.
Speaking during a reception aboard the visiting Royal Navy frigate HMS Richmond (F239) on Tuesday evening, British Minister of State for Defence Lord Vernon Coaker emphasized the growing alignment between the two nations.
“The UK and the Philippines have never been more aligned. Our respect for the rules-based international order, our desire to protect sovereignty, and our commitment to global peace are ideals both countries share and hold dear,” Coaker said.
The proposed SOVFA will serve as a legal framework for joint military activities, allowing both armed forces to enhance cooperation, improve interoperability, and build capacity as trusted partners, he said.
Coaker’s visit comes as the Philippines continues to expand its network of security alliances in response to continuing tensions with China in the South China Sea. Manila already has visiting forces agreements with the United States, Australia, and Japan. It signed a similar deal with New Zealand in April and soon with Canada, while negotiations are ongoing with France.
“We stand with the Philippines and we oppose any unilateral activity that changes the facts on the ground and increases tensions in the South China Sea,” he said.
Earlier in the day, Coaker met with Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., where he formally conveyed the UK’s intent to enter into a SOVFA.
“We see some synergies—a lot of synergies—between the United Kingdom and us because they have a smaller force, particularly their land force,” Teodoro told lawmakers at a congressional budget hearing also on Tuesday.
“Their battlefield tactics and techniques are up to par, beyond the norm, and they are willing to also interconnect their maritime domains with the Indo Pacific area,” he said.
Coaker’s visit coincides with the port call of HMS Richmond in Manila, part of Operation Highmast—an eight-month deployment of the UK Carrier Strike Group to the Indo-Pacific region.
“The UK’s recently published Strategic Defence Review recognizes that, in our modern interconnected world, the Indo-Pacific is fundamentally linked to the Euro-Atlantic and is of growing political and economic importance to the UK,” Coaker said.
He added, “Our policy of ‘NATO first’ does not mean ‘NATO only.’ The deployment of the UK Carrier Strike Group to the Indo-Pacific demonstrates our commitment to regional stability and upholding international order.”
Before arriving in the Philippines, HMS Richmond sailed alongside the US Navy through the sensitive Taiwan Strait, drawing a strong reaction from China.
