By Junex Doronio
MANILA — Cognizant of the various security challenges, including the South China (West Philippine Sea) issue, the Philippines and Sweden have expressed willingness to develop long-term bilateral cooperation.
On Thursday, the Department of National Defense (DND) disclosed that on January 26 Undersecretary Irineo Espino met with Swedish State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Jan Knutsson at the Department of National Defense (DND).
“Both sides looked forward to developing a long-term bilateral cooperation, underscoring the importance of upholding the rules-based international order and strengthening security ties between like-minded countries,” the DND said in a statement.
Espino and Knutsson also tackled climate change, the Ukraine war, cross-strait tensions, and the South China Sea issue.
It was learned during the meeting that Knutsson also presented Sweden’s cost-effective material, primarily its aircraft, as he showcased the country’s strong defense industry to counter threats.
For his part, Espino expressed DND’s interest in cooperating with Sweden in terms of technology transfer and research and development, among others, to protect the Philippines’ sovereignty.
(el Amigo/MNM)