Australia and the Philippines have discussed how they could team up for joint patrols in the South China Sea

Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles made the announcement after meeting with his Filipino counterpart, Carlito Galvez Jr.

As the long running dispute over territory in the South China Sea rumbles on, the Philippines and Australia are considering taking action in the form of joint patrols on the water.

This is largely in response to concerns over China’s recent actions in the region and its continued military activity in these contested waters.

Beijing claims almost all of the South China Sea and it’s a significant area given the amount of trade that passes through.

Potential joint patrols between Canberra and Manila were discussed on Wednesday as Australian defence minister Richard Marles met with his Filipino counterpart.

Both countries have a long history of military ties and have previously conducted joint combat exercises.

These talks follow on from similar discussions between the United States and the Philippines about conducting joint coast guard patrols.

Manilla, Washington and Canberra are all looking to improve security ties in the Indo-Pacific due to fears over China’s push for influence in the region.

It has resulted in some flashpoints in the South China Sea – including earlier this month when China’s coastguard shone a military-grade laser at a Philippine Coast Guard ship.

Following that incident, Beijing’s ambassador to the Philippines was summoned by President Marcos Junior to discuss the incident, with China defending its actions.

And with the potential for Australian and Filipino boats to be patrolling waters together in these hotly contested waters, there’s certainly an increased chance further flare-ups.