The Philippines and Denmark are currently exploring ways to enhance their defense cooperation amid the escalating tension in the West Philippine Sea.

According to Danish Foreign Minister Larks Løkke Rasmussen, who is currently in Manila for a two-day official visit, the matter was the subject of his discussion with Philippine officials.

“I think we have business community links with the defense industry in Denmark. We have certain competencies and strongholds, which are probably also needed in the Philippines in order to keep up the necessary capacity,” Rasmussen told reporters during the joint briefing with his counterpart Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo on Monday.

“That was the focus of the discussion today; ‘How can we develop and create a stronger tie between our defense industries?’ We discussed that in a very concrete manner,” he added.

Rasmussen’s visit to the country came barely a week after the latest harassment of Filipino vessels by the China Coast Guard in the West Philippine Sea.

For his part, Manalo expressed the Philippines’ gratitude for Denmark’s support, particularly on China’s harassment in the West Philippine Sea.

“The Philippines and Denmark are very close partners in a broad range of issues, and in our discussion today also, this includes various regional issues,” he said.

“Now on the South China Sea, West Philippine Sea issue. First, I want to thank Denmark’s support for the many messages and statements of support,” he added.

Manalo said he also discussed with Rasmussen the possibility of cooperating further, particularly on how the two countries can increase greater awareness about the situation in the West Philippine Sea.  

Likewise, the two nation’s top diplomats also discussed the possibility of exploring cooperation in the maritime areas, particularly “in terms of maritime security, promoting international maritime law, cooperation on the economy of the marine environment and maritime biodiversity.”

China claims the vast South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea, which is within the Philippines' 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone.

Tensions between the two countries have risen over the past years due to its overlapping claims in the West Philippine Sea, a portion of the South China Sea.

China’s historic “nine-dash line claim,” however, was rejected by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2016 after it favored Manila’s sovereign rights in the area.