MANILA: Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Saturday, during his official visit to the Philippines, emphasized the ongoing trilateral collaboration between Japan, the Philippines, and the United States to safeguard the freedom of the South China Sea. Kishida pledged to assist in bolstering Manila’s security capabilities.
Addressing the Philippine Congress in Manila, Kishida stated that in the South China Sea, we are actively engaged in trilateral cooperation aimed at preserving the freedom of navigation.
Kishida’s discussions with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr held the day prior, resulted in an agreement to initiate negotiations for a reciprocal troop access arrangement, with the intention of reinforcing military cooperation in response to China’s escalating assertiveness in the region.
Both the Philippines and Japan, as close allies of the United States in Asia, have taken a resolute stance against what they perceive as aggressive actions by Chinese vessels within the context of long-standing disputes concerning maritime sovereignty.
Recent events have seen China and the Philippines exchanging accusations following a collision in the contested waters of the South China Sea, where Chinese vessels obstructed Philippine vessels delivering supplies to their forces stationed in the area.
It is noteworthy that China claims sovereignty over nearly the entire South China Sea, encompassing parts of the exclusive economic zones of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam. The Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled in 2016 that China’s claims lacked a legal basis.
While Japan does not assert any territorial claims in the South China Sea, it does grapple with a separate maritime dispute with China in the East China Sea.
