Closer Philippine-Indonesian defence ties could bolster Manila's S. China Sea claims

It gets an opportunity to counter Beijing’s narrative that it is acting as a pawn of US

- Mara Cepeda

The Philippines and Indonesia have moved to bolster their security cooperation, as South-east Asia continues to deal with Beijing's rising assertiveness in the disputed South China Sea.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr and Indonesian President Joko Widodo discussed the maritime disputes and other regional security issues during the latter's three-day visit to Manila from Jan 9 to 11.

In a joint press conference on Jan 10, the two leaders reaffirmed their support for the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which provides a universal legal framework for the governance of activities in the world's oceans and seas.

"As immediate neighbours and fellow archipelagic states, the Philippines and Indonesia agreed to continue our cooperation on political and security matters," said Mr Marcos.

Mr Widodo also said they agreed on the importance of pushing for Asean unity, and he said the regional bloc must "uphold the principles of international law and become a positive force for peace, stability and prosperity".

He even sought Mr Marcos' support for the Philippine Navy to acquire anti-submarine warfare aircraft from Indonesia, but did not provide any other details.

Maritime security and political analysts say Mr Widodo's visit comes at a crucial time for Manila and could help beef up the Philippines' claims in its heated territorial dispute with China.