Philippines, Japan, US deepen trilateral cooperation against China

The Philippines reaffirmed its commitment to deepening trilateral cooperation with Japan and the United States towards a free and open Indo-Pacific region, following President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s virtual meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and outgoing US President Joseph R. Biden on Monday.

During his welcome remarks for visiting Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya in Manila, President Marcos highlighted the progress made since the signing of a landmark trilateral agreement in 2024.

The Japanese official stressed the importance of having like-minded countries collaborate amid increasing regional challenges and called for continued support to strengthen cooperation between Japan and the Philippines on security issues and other global affairs.

President Biden had emphasized the Philippines' stance against Chinese aggression in the South China Sea during their virtual summit, underscoring the trilateral partnership's significance.

The three leaders discussed ways to advance cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, emphasizing the importance of continued coordination to address challenges posed by China’s activities in the South China Sea.