U.S. President Joe Biden Met with Japanese and Philippine Leaders to Advance Cooperation and Address South China Sea Tensions
President Joe Biden met virtually with Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Sunday to advance cooperation among the three countries. The leaders discussed trilateral maritime security and economic cooperation, as well as China’s “dangerous and unlawful behavior in the South China Sea.”
The leaders emphasized the importance of continued coordination to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific region. This comes as the three countries met for a trilateral summit in Washington in April and have agreed to further strengthen their ties in the face of growing tensions in regional waters.
The South China Sea, a critical waterway for global commerce, has been plagued by rising tensions for years. China claims almost the entire South China Sea, despite a 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration finding Beijing’s sweeping claims had no legal basis.
The U.S. has increased its security engagements with the Philippines under Marcos, securing expanded access to Philippine bases. The leaders also discussed the importance of cooperation among allies and like-minded countries in establishing resilient supply chains.
It was noted that President Biden’s decision to block the planned acquisition of U.S. Steel by Nippon Steel on national security concerns was not discussed. Japan’s foreign ministry said Prime Minister Ishiba asked Biden to allay concerns in the Japanese and U.S. business communities over the decision.
