Thursday’s three-way summit between President Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishidan, and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is showing China that it’s not part of the group. This meeting is the first time these three leaders have met together. It’s a strong move by the United States and its friends to keep China isolated as China tries to scare its neighbors in the South China Sea and other places.
This summit also supports one of President Biden’s main goals — making stronger connections with allies to stand against China’s increasing boldness in the Indo-Pacific area. A senior official from the Biden administration told reporters on Wednesday that this is like a network of partnerships in the region that support each other.
The official mentioned that President Marcos is feeling pressure because of China’s aggressive behavior in the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone. This is the area around the Philippines that touches the South China Sea, which China claims as its own. The official said that both President Biden and Prime Minister Kishida will show support and determination to help the Philippines.
They also said that during the summit, there will be announcements about more cooperation between the countries in the military, Coast Guard, and disaster relief.
A person named Nick Szechenyi, who works at a think tank, said that this meeting is like starting a new chapter for these three countries. They want to focus on making sure China doesn’t bully them, especially in maritime security.
Both Japan and the Philippines are allies with the United States, which means they look to the U.S. for protection when China tries to start trouble. This means that the U.S. has military bases in Japan and rights to bases in the Philippines.
Japan and the Philippines also have their problems with China. Japan has a dispute over some islands in the East China Sea, and the Philippines has issues in the South China Sea.
There’s been tension in the South China Sea because of China’s actions. Chinese ships have been harassing Filipino boats, and there have been clashes between them. The head of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Adm. John Aquilino, said he’s worried about China’s behavior in the region.
But despite the tension, the leaders of the U.S., Japan, and the Philippines are working closely together. They recently had a joint military exercise, and they plan to do more in the future. They’re also working on infrastructure projects together to improve connectivity in the region.
This summit shows that these countries are standing together against China’s aggressive actions. They want to work together to keep peace and stability in the region.
