Julie Bishop

06:05
Today
Telegraph

UKRINFORM

Philippines don’t have to make new friends at the expense of existing allies and long-standing partnerships.

During his official visit to the Philippines, where it is scheduled to meet with President Duarte, Minister for foreign Affairs of Australia Julie Bishop has called for the island country to remain under the “umbrella of security” and also skillfully to balance its policy with China, as does Australia.

This publication reports The Australian.

“The experience of Australia is that we don’t have to make new friends at the expense of existing allies and long-standing partnerships. We (Australia and Philippines) to benefit from the stay under the security umbrella of the United States. However, this does not prevent us to have constructive and positive relations with the new States, such as China and possibly India,” he said .

Julie Bishop also appealed to the Philippines as the new ASEAN chair, calling to accelerate the adoption of a Code of conduct in the South China sea.

In turn, the Minister of defence of Australia, Maris Payne has ruled out holding negotiations on the possibility of concluding the intergovernmental agreement between Australia and the Philippines on the procurement of military equipment, although the possibility of such a transaction ahead of the visit said the Minister of defense of the Philippines.