TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The foreign ministry welcomed Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro’s remarks on Saturday advocating security cooperation with Taiwan and other regional countries.
Speaking with Bloomberg at the Shangri-La Dialogue, Teodoro said the Philippines was collaborating with Taiwan in “non-taboo areas” outside of diplomatic recognition. He mentioned a Taiwan-Philippines economic corridor, saying it has “indirect but very important implications for our defense space.”
The foreign ministry said in a statement that under President Lai Ching-te’s (賴清德) comprehensive diplomatic strategy, the Taiwan-Philippines Economic Corridor aims to bolster supply chain resilience between the two countries.
Taiwan also looks forward to both countries deepening cooperation in economy, security, technology, and people-to-people exchanges, the foreign ministry said. It added that Taiwan is willing to work with the Philippines and other like-minded countries to promote peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.
Former Vice Commander of the Philippine Army Leodevic B. Guinid said in April that any Taiwan Strait conflict would directly affect Philippine national security, and that the Philippines is already formulating contingency plans for civilian evacuation if a Taiwan contingency broke out.
Last year, Taiwanese and Philippine government officials and advisers revealed that the Philippine Coast Guard conducted patrols with their Taiwanese counterparts in the Bashi Channel, according to the Washington Post. Taiwan also sent navy and marine corps personnel to observe the 2025 Kamandag joint exercise led by the US and Philippine marines, they said.
The Taiwanese officers participated in tabletop planning, according to a government adviser. “Our security and military cooperation with the Philippines is going to get closer and closer,” he said.
