The Philippines and New Zealand have begun negotiating an agreement that would allow them to deploy troops on each other’s soil, the two countries said yesterday, as concerns over maritime tensions with China grow.

Manila has been seeking to boost defense ties in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond in the face of China’s growing confidence in asserting its claims over the hot spot South China Sea.

A first round of talks was held in Manila on Thursday last week between the Philippines and New Zealand’s defense departments, they said in a joint statement.