Australian Deputy PM Visits Malaysia, Philippines To Strengthen Defence Ties

Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles is undertaking visits to Malaysia and the Philippines to strengthen defense partnerships and regional security cooperation. In Malaysia, he will join the 5th Malaysia-Australia High Level Committee on Defence Cooperation alongside Malaysia’s Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, reaffirming decades of collaboration through training, exchanges, and the Five Power Defence Arrangements. Following this, Marles will travel to the Philippines for the 2nd Australia-Philippines Defence Ministers’ Meeting with Secretary of National Defence Gilberto Teodoro Jr., focusing on enhancing military interoperability and capacity-building. During his visit to the Philippines, Marles will observe Exercise Alon 25, Australia’s largest overseas joint military training exercise this year, which exemplifies their shared commitment to maintaining a peaceful and secure Indo-Pacific region. These efforts are part of Australia’s broader strategy to deepen defense ties amid a complex regional security environment. Marles emphasized the importance of mutual cooperation in maintaining sovereignty and prosperity in Southeast Asia.