Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya met with his Filipino counterpart Enrique Manalo and with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos in Manila to affirm security commitments.
“In response to the developments in the South China Sea, we agreed to further strengthen Japan-Philippines partnership,“ Iwaya told a joint news conference.
China claims most of the strategic waterway despite an international tribunal ruling that its claim lacked any legal basis.
Iwaya told reporters “I am gravely concerned that actions heightening tension in the South China Sea are repeated”.
Manalo said “our geopolitical security environment is growing more and more complex and challenging” and expressed concern over “unilateral actions that aim to undermine the rule of law in the East and South China Seas”.
Japan is a key financer of Philippine efforts to modernise its South China Sea patrol craft as well as maritime surveillance systems.
They pledged to “maintain good communication with the next US administration, to maintain and strengthen the momentum for our trilateral cooperation”, Iwaya added.
In a telephone call with US Vice President Kamala Harris on Wednesday, Marcos “expressed optimism in maintaining the strong and dynamic relationship” between the two allies under the incoming Trump administration.
Trump, who will be sworn in as president on Monday, has pushed an “America First” agenda based on avoiding foreign conflicts and protectionist trade policies.
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