EU Ready to Cooperate With Philippines on Maritime Security: President

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told the Philippine leader that the European Union is ready to boost cooperation with the Philippines in maritime security amid tensions with China in the disputed South China Sea.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen gives a press conference on energy at EU headquarters in Brussels on Sept. 7, 2022. Kenzo Tribouillard/AFP via Getty Images

The European Union is ready to bolster maritime security cooperation with the Philippines and uphold a 2016 arbitration court’s ruling in the South China Sea dispute, the European Commission president said.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen met with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in Manila on Monday and pledged to boost cooperation with the Southeast Asian nation in trade, critical raw materials, and security.