The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced that the recent Chinese hostilities in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) will be a central topic at the upcoming trilateral summit between the Philippines, the United States, and Japan in Washington, DC. This meeting, involving President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., U.S. President Joe Biden, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, aims to harmonize the three nations’ perspectives on the issue and seek peaceful and diplomatic resolutions.
The DFA emphasized the summit’s role in advocating for freedom of navigation and the protection of Filipino fishermen in the WPS. The trilateral cooperation is expected to enhance the Philippines’ maritime security capabilities, including training and equipment support, reflecting a broader commitment to maintaining peace in the Indo-Pacific region.
This summit, while focusing on economic cooperation, also serves as a platform for strengthening existing alliances and discussing strategic responses to regional security challenges, including the contentious actions of the Chinese Coast Guard in the WPS. The discussions at the summit are poised to advance the collective interest in regional stability and security.