MANILA (Reuters) – Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida affirmed on Saturday that Japan, the Philippines, and the United States were collaborating to safeguard the freedom of the South China Sea while pledging to enhance Manila’s security capabilities.
During an official visit, Kishida addressed the Philippine congress in the capital, Manila, stating, “In the South China Sea, the trilateral cooperation to protect the freedom of the sea is underway.”
On Friday, Kishida held discussions with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, where both leaders agreed to initiate negotiations on a reciprocal troop access agreement aimed at bolstering military cooperation in response to China’s increasing assertiveness in the region.
Both the Philippines and Japan, regarded as two of the United States’ closest Asian allies, have adopted a firm stance against what they perceive as aggressive actions by Chinese vessels in the midst of long-standing disputes over maritime sovereignty.
Just last month, China and the Philippines exchanged accusations following a collision in the disputed waters of the South China Sea, where Chinese vessels obstructed Philippine boats supplying forces in the area.
China asserts sovereignty over nearly the entire South China Sea, encompassing parts of the exclusive economic zones of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam. In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled that China’s territorial claims had no legal basis.
It is worth noting that Japan does not assert any territorial claims in the South China Sea; however, it does have a separate maritime dispute with China in the East China Sea.
