Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles (pictured) on Wednesday said he and Philippines Defense Secretary Carlito Galvez talked about the possibility of their two countries holding joint patrols in the South China Sea.
"We're going work together to look at ways in which we can deepen the opportunities where Filipino servicemen and women can work alongside Australian servicemen and women," Marles said. To that end, Canberra and Manila are looking at ways they can conduct more exercises together, according to the defense minister.
Previously, the Philippines discussed the possibility of patrolling the area with the United States. The news comes as China continues to make attempts to achieve greater control over the maritime territory, as several Asian nations have competing claims over territorial waters in the region.
