October 24, 2023 (Quezon City) – Secretary of National Defense (SND) Gilberto C. Teodoro, Jr., expressed appreciation to His Excellency Franz-Michael Skjold Mellbin, Ambassador of Denmark to the Philippines, for his pronouncement of support to the rule of law, in connection with the recent Ayungin Shoal incident, during the latter’s courtesy call at the Department of National Defense (DND).

Ambassador Mellbin, in his online statement, underscored this encounter as “putting the lives of Filipino sailors at risk” and “undermines regional security.”

Ambassador Mellbin emphasized that defense cooperation with the Philippines is among his priorities, as he invited the Philippine Navy and the Philippine Coast Guard for a study visit in Copenhagen, to conduct an exchange of insights on the law of the sea, as well as provide inputs on Denmark’s naval, coastal, and marine defenses, technologies, and doctrines. Secretary Teodoro welcomed the invitation, stating that this is a good opportunity in light of current defense realities.

The two officials also discussed possible cooperation between the Philippines and Denmark on cyber defense and information technology, putting premium in countering disinformation and in proactively addressing threats in the information ecosystem.

The Danish ambassador acknowledged the Philippines’ support in upholding the rules-based international order, in relation to the ongoing war in Ukraine. Both sides looked forward to concretizing Philippines-Denmark cooperation as global security challenges persist and become more unpredictable and volatile.