(UPDATES) THE Philippines has stepped up joint sea maneuvers with its allies as it seeks to broaden cooperation in facing security issues in the South China Sea.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said it will train with Vietnam's coast guard this month in responding to different scenarios in international waters.

A 2,400-ton Vietnam Coast Guard vessel is expected to arrive in Manila on August 5 and will stay in the country for four days.

It is the first visit to the Philippines by a Vietnamese coast guard vessel.

The Philippines and Vietnam are two of the main claimants to waters in the South China Sea, the vast majority of which China claims.

The joint coast guard exercises between the Philippines and Vietnam follow several maritime drills that Manila conducted with other allied nations.

On Friday, the Philippines and Japan held their first joint exercises in the South China Sea.

"This activity was part of the ongoing efforts to strengthen regional and international cooperation towards realizing a free and open Indo-Pacific," the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said in a statement.

AFP Public Affairs Chief Col. Xerxes Trinidad said BRP Jose Rizal and JS Sazanami of the Japan Maritime Defense Forces navigated side by side in the West Philippine Sea.

Last month, Manila and Tokyo signed a landmark military pact allowing the deployment of forces on each other's soil.

The drills with Japan followed a "joint sail" on Wednesday by the US Navy's Mobile and the Philippine Navy's Ramon Alcaraz in the waters off Palawan.

The two ships carried out exercises "to strengthen the interoperability and cooperative capabilities of the Philippine Navy and the United States Navy," Trinidad said.

The joint sail came as US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and State Secretary Antony Blinken paid a call to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., in conjunction with the 2-plus-2 Consultative Meeting in Camp Aguinaldo on Tuesday.

In a January visit to Vietnam by President Marcos, the two countries agreed to boost coast guard cooperation.

In July, Vietnam filed a claim with the United Nations for an extended continental shelf beyond the current 200 nautical miles in the South China Sea, Vietnam's foreign ministry said.

The Philippines made a similar move a month before.

China said it firmly opposed Vietnam's submission and had lodged stern representations with the Vietnamese side.

Another country, Canada, plans to sign a Status of Visiting Forces Agreement with the Philippines.

"We've [already] exchanged texts of the draft agreement. We hope to be able to conclude [the negotiation] rather quickly," Canada's Ambassador to Manila David Hartman said.

Hartman also said the visit of the Royal Canadian Navy ship Montreal to the Philippines is part of his country's dedication to maintaining stability and "deepen" its presence in the Indo-Pacific region.

The Montreal arrived in Manila on Friday for a five-day goodwill visit.

Hartman said Canada and the Philippines need to further develop their relationship. "Our relationship is not quite there yet. We have to further develop [our ties]," he said in a press briefing.

The ambassador added: "Our embassy here is now the largest in the world. We continue to grow our footprint here. We are very serious of our commitment to sustaining and deepening our presence. So, stay tuned."

"What we've achieved and articulated with the Philippines is comfortable with any like-minded partner. We're ally also. We have a strong solid base from which to negotiate," he said.

Hartman said Canada and the Philippines "share a common interest in upholding a rules-based international order and in maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific."

Commander Travis Bain, commanding officer of the Montreal, said he looks forward "to working closely with the Philippine Navy throughout our visit to Manila to foster sailor-to-sailor exchanges and strengthen interoperability between our two navies."

Petty Officer 2nd Class Nicole Fabella, a naval communicator who hails from Zamboanga City, said, "I am happy to return to the Philippines as a member of the Royal Canadian Navy."

"We are doing important work for the peace and stability in the region. I look forward to helping strengthen our friendship and partnership with the Philippine Navy," Fabella said.

During the visit, the Montreal will conduct training activities with the Philippine Navy and community outreach.

The naval ship has 250 sailors, soldiers and aviators, including four of Philippine descent.

The ship's crew will also hold a "friendly game of ice hockey and an exchange between cooks of the ship and the Philippine Navy," the Canadian Embassy said in a statement.

WITH AFP