Canada is eyeing more military training in East Asia, including the Philippines, to combat terrorism and other threats, the commander of its naval forces in the Pacific said Tuesday.
"One of the things we would like to be able to do is to participate more in the exercises and training engagements that are already pre-established here in this part of the world," said Rear Admiral Tyrone Pile.
Pile cited the example of the annual Balikatan (shoulder-to-shoulder) war games between the Philippines and United States.
The Philippines has only one bilateral military agreement, the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the US. A similar agreement with Australia is pending the approval of the Senate.
"Any area of instability around the world today has an impact on everybody, whether it is bombings, terrorist acts in Indonesia, terrorist acts elsewhere around the world," Pile said at a roundtable discussion at the National Defense College of the Philippines.
"We all need to be partners in dealing with these issues because it affects all of us."
Pile said security cooperation was important against the backdrop of the booming Chinese and Indian economies, and the reemerging Southeast Asian economies, as he warned that security concerns could push up the prices of food and oil, and disturb maritime trade networks.
Developments in the region, he said, would “no doubt… have a major impact on the economies of Canada and the United States."
Pile has under his command a destroyer warship, two submarines, five frigates, a supply ship, six coastal patrol vessels and eight inshore patrol vessels, and an aircraft fleet that includes four maritime patrol planes, six Sea King helicopters, five Cormorant search and rescue helicopters, and six Buffalo planes.
The Canadian official recognized the Philippines is "extremely important" to Canada, as Filipino immigrants there make up for the slow birth rate in their country.
"You'll be surprised at the extent of the Filipino communities that are now growing across Canada, especially in the major cities."
