Philippines, Australia sign defence pact with eye on China

MANILA: The Philippines and Australia signed a defence cooperation arrangement on Sunday that Manila said would lower bureaucratic hurdles to joint military activities, as ​the two countries further deepen security ties. Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro ‌said the arrangement would streamline implementation of the bilateral Status of Visiting Forces Agreement, or SOVFA, by simplifying coordination procedures. “Rather than 100 steps to do a single thing, it ​will just now take 10,” Te

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