Department of National Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren vowed to further step up their bilateral defense and security relations, notably in the areas of combatting cybercrimes and espionage.
Meeting on Sunday on the sidelines of the 21st International Institute for Strategic Studies Shangri-La Dialogue, the two defense officials pledged to deepen cooperation as numerous issues and concerns emerge globally.
Ollongren said the Dutch government “can relate to the security concerns of the Philippine government.”
“We look forward to engaging The Netherlands in combatting cybercrime and espionage issues,” Teodoro told the Dutch defense chief.
Ollongren said the two countries “are moving in the right direction.” The two defense officials were in Singapore to attend the annual Shangri-La Dialogue, considered Asia’s most significant defense gathering.