PH, US, Japan, Australia form Indo-Pacific defense council to counter China

The Philippines, along with the United States, Japan, and Australia, is establishing a new Indo-Pacific defense council to counter China's increasing assertiveness in the South China Sea.

Defense officials from the four nations met in Kuala Lumpur and expressed support for the framework of the Indo-Pacific Chiefs of Defense Cooperation Council.

This new council aims to improve military interoperability and cooperation among the four countries in response to what they describe as China's 'destabilizing actions' in the East and South China Seas.

The officials jointly voiced serious concerns about China's actions and opposed any attempts to alter the status quo through force or coercion, reaffirming the South China Sea arbitral ruling.

The meeting underscored the strengthening security alliance among the four nations, with agreements to prioritize deterrence, operational readiness, and expanded joint training and information-sharing.