The Philippines signed a visiting forces agreement with Canada on Sunday, the latest in a series of pacts aimed at countering Beijing’s assertiveness in the disputed South China Sea.

Canadian Defense Minister David McGuinty said the agreement would deepen the relationship with the Philippine military while advancing Ottawa’s Asia-Pacific strategy, which calls for “a forward presence in the region”.

“(We) will be moving forward on training fronts, on exchanges with our military colleges, information sharing, understanding cyber security,” he told a joint news briefing in Manila.

Manila, a US treaty ally, signed a visiting forces pact with New Zealand earlier this year and already had agreements in place with the United States, Australia and Japan. (AFP)