Cambodia, Philippines Pledge Deeper Military Ties, Naval and Air Cooperation

PHNOM PENH, Oct. 20, 2026: Cambodia and the Philippines have agreed to deepen military-to-military cooperation, with plans to sign agreements on naval and air force cooperation in the near future.

The agreement came as Prime Minister Hun Manet received General Antonio G. Natarrete, Chief of Staff of the Philippine Army, and a delegation at the Peace Palace on Tuesday morning.

General Natarrete thanked the Prime Minister and recalled the strong, long-standing relations between the two countries, particularly in defence and security. He expressed satisfaction with progress in army-to-army cooperation and affirmed the Philippines' commitment to expanding military ties, especially between the naval and air forces.

Photo: Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet, Prime Minister of Cambodia
Prime Minister Hun Manet welcomed the delegation and congratulated General Natarrete on his recent appointment. He praised progress in defence cooperation, particularly training and capacity building between the two armies, and expressed hope that naval and air force agreements would soon be signed and turned into concrete results.

The Prime Minister also commended the ASEAN Observer Team's role and expressed confidence that under the Philippines' leadership it would continue to support the peaceful resolution of the Cambodia-Thailand border issue. He briefed the delegation on recent border developments and reaffirmed Cambodia's commitment to resolving disputes peacefully under existing agreements and international law.

Both sides also discussed closer cooperation against cross-border crime, including online scams, terrorism and cyberattacks.

Source: Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet, Prime Minister of Cambodia


Reported by The Khmer Daily Network