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<img src="https://cdn.kahimyang.com/resources-23/austin-teodoro.avif" alt="Lloyd Austin and Gilberto Teodoro" loading="lazy"/>
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(Taken and released on November 18, 2024 by the Philippine Department of National Defense shows US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, left, and Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro posing after signing a military intelligence agreement., <a href="https://www.voanews.com/" class="news_link" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" >Voanews.com</a>)
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The deal was signed by U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and his Philippine counterpart, Gilberto Teodoro, during a ceremony at the Department of National Defense in Manila. This agreement is part of a broader effort to enhance regional security and counter what both nations perceive as China's aggressive policies in the South China Sea and near Taiwan.
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Under the GSOMIA, the Philippines will gain access to higher capabilities and big-ticket items from the United States, opening opportunities for similar agreements with other like-minded nations. The pact also establishes security equivalency within each country's security programs for classification and safeguarding standards for the disclosed information.
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November 18, 2024: Philippines and United States Sign Military Intelligence-Sharing Deal