Philippines to Hold Joint Maritime Patrols With US, Japan

The Philippines is set to launch joint naval patrols in the South China Sea with Japan and the United States later this year, in a bid to counter China's increasingly assertive behavior in disputed waters. According to White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre, Biden, Kishida, and Marcos "Will discuss trilateral cooperation to promote inclusive economic growth and emerging technologies, advance clean energy supply chains and climate cooperation, and further peace and security in the Indo-Pacific and around the world." Japanese media outlets have since confirmed the involvement of Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force in joint patrols. The growing security cooperation, of which joint maritime patrols will be perhaps the most visible aspect, is an obvious response to the growing tension in the South China Sea, where Beijing has increased both the frequency and intensity of its incursions into contested areas over the past 18 months, particularly those claimed by the Philippines. The U.S. began joint patrols with the Philippines late last year, and has since held several of them, while reports of possible Japanese involvement in these patrols have swirled for some time. The U.S. has also negotiated access to an expanded roster of Philippine military facilities under the 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, while Japan and the Philippines are reportedly in the process of brokering a similar reciprocal access agreement. Australia has also held joint patrols with the Philippines. In an article on March 31, the Global Times stated that Japan's alliance with the U.S. was "Evolving into an axis of evil," and that the U.S. was "Encouraging the Philippines to incite chaos in the South China Sea.".