Philippines, Japan, US establish foundation for maritime cooperation

Philippines, Japan, and the United States established a foundation for maritime cooperation during their first trilateral dialogue held in Tokyo on Tuesday, December 10.

The three nations expressed serious concerns over China's repeated blocking and harassment of Philippine vessels in the West Philippine Sea, raising alarm about 'dangerous and unlawful behavior' threatening regional freedoms.

Officials from the Philippines, including Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro, met with counterparts from Japan and the United States to discuss strategic perspectives on regional maritime issues.

The three governments reaffirmed their commitment to upholding international law as reflected in the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention and the 2016 Arbitral Award, emphasizing a rules-based approach anchored on international law.

Manila will host the next round of talks in 2025, continuing to institutionalize trilateral cooperation on maritime concerns, including combined trainings, maritime law enforcement, and coast guard capacity building.