MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr on Monday reaffirmed the close ties between the Philippines and Germany as he welcomed German Federal Minister of Defense Boris Pistorius in Malacañang.

Pistorius, who is currently in Manila as part of his visit to the Indo-Pacific region, paid a courtesy call to the Philippine leader Monday morning. 

The German official earlier met with his Philippine counterpart, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr on Sunday. AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. was also present during the meeting.

In his remarks, Marcos Jr. referred to Germany as the country’s partner and ally, as he thanked the European country for its continuing support of the rules-based international law.

“Thank you, and I am very happy you have a chance to meet with Secretary Gilbert,” Marcos Jr. said, referring to Pistorius’ meeting with Tedoro, where both officials agreed to finalize a defense agreement that will allow joint military training and possible sale of German weapons to the Philippines.

Pistorius meanwhile told Marcos Jr. that he hopes that both countries will sign the agreement by the end of the year.

"We sent already a draft a couple of weeks ago, and so we can continue working on it," Pistorius said.

"We are close… we are convinced that it is necessary even more than ever before to work together, to stand together, to support rules-based international order, because all of us know and we experience every day that the security of one region is always at the same time the security and stability of the other region."