President Marcos will take advantage of his trip to Germany and Czech Republic next week to enhance the Philippines' defense capability and seek support from other nations in fighting for the country's rights over the West Philippine Sea.

Marcos will express intent in expanding the country's current defense cooperation with Germany, which has been existing for about 50 years.

"It was signed in 1974, but it [only] focused initially [on] training of our Armed Forces. So now, we would like to convey our interest to expand the cooperation," Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Assistant Secretary for the Office of European Affairs Maria Elena Algabre said in a pre-departure briefing on Friday, March 8.

Meanwhile, with the Czech Republic, the President will also explore and discuss how both countries "can also expand cooperation in areas, including defense," Algabre added.

Marcos will be visiting the two European countries based on a fact that they are both like-minded like the Philippines, the official said.

Like-minded means all three countries share "the value for democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, including in the promotion of an open, inclusive, international rules-based order," Algabre said.

Germany and Czech Republic have always been among the countries expressing support for the Philippines whenever it faces aggression from China, which is unilaterally claiming the West Philippine Sea.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, in her visit to Manila in January 2024, noted the "tensions that are rising too" in the Indo-Pacific and stressed that the "world does not need another crisis."

Baerbock expressed Germany's readiness to provide maritime training and cooperation with the Philippines, on top of Germany's current assistance through deploying reconnaissance drones in the Indo-Pacific.

"The President will have an exchange on how both could work together in maintaining an international rules-based order," Algabre said.