ENHANCING DEFENCE COOPERATION AND MARITIME SECURITY IN SOUTHEAST ASIA

CANBERRA, ACT, Nov. 15 -- The Prime Minister of Australia issued the following media release:

Australia is strengthening defence cooperation and maritime security in Southeast Asia to enhance the stability and prosperity of our region.

Following a visit to HMAS Stalwart in Manila today, Prime Minister Albanese witnessed the signing of a new Australia-Philippines Defence Cooperation Arrangement.

Expanding on the existing Memorandum of Understanding on Defence Cooperation, the arrangement provides a contemporary framework to guide priority areas of cooperation, including enhanced maritime awareness and activities, information-sharing, strategic dialogue, planning, training, interoperability, and defence infrastructure development.

The arr...