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Australia and Vietnam announced on Tuesday their intention to enhance military collaboration as these mid-sized nations confront Beijing’s growing influence in the Pacific and the South China Sea.

After discussions between Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Vietnamese leader To Lam in Canberra, the two nations announced that their military forces will collaborate more closely on maritime security and carry out joint training exercises.

“Our defense sector, along with our military, is increasingly working together,” Albanese stated in his opening comments during his meeting with the Vietnamese leader.

“In today’s unpredictable world, it has become more crucial than ever for friends to interact on every level—economic, social, and environmental—to tackle the challenges we face,” he added.

The trip of the Vietnamese leader to Australia occurs while both nations face increasing military expansion by China in the area.

Vietnam is among several countries that have overlapping claims in the South China Sea, where Beijing asserts almost complete control, even though an international decision determined that its claim lacks legal foundation.

Australia is also managing a historic expansion of its military and an increasing presence of American forces on its land, aiming to counter the growth of China’s armed forces.

Australia’s defense minister, Richard Marles, stated on Tuesday that the growing collaboration with Vietnam would “significantly enhance the stability and security of our region.”

The announcement on Tuesday was made in conjunction with a series of agreements between Canberra and Hanoi, including a pledge to enhance “economic resilience” and to resume market access for Australian game meat — such as kangaroo — in Vietnam.