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MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is traveling to the Philippines on Tuesday seeking to further boost an alliance in the face of China’s growing assertiveness in the region.
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Ishiba will meet Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos in Manila on Tuesday at the start of his two-day visit. Their talks are expected to focus on China’s aggressive actions in the disputed South China Sea and East China Sea, a reaffirmation of their commitment to a three-way alliance with the United States, and the barrage of tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump, officials said.
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Japanese and Philippine officials are expected to start negotiations this year on two defense pacts, including a proposed defense logistical agreement that would allow the provision of food, fuel and other necessities when Japanese forces visit the Philippines for joint training under a major defense accord that was signed last year and is expected to be ratified by the Japanese legislature.
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Another proposed agreement involves the security of highly confidential defense and military information the countries could share. Talks on this agreement are also expected to start this year, according to Japanese and Philippine officials.
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“In the South China Sea and East China Sea, China has made unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force,” Ishiba said in a news conference in Tokyo over the weekend before embarking on a trip to Vietnam and the Philippines. “I intend to further strengthen our cooperation with regard to security.”
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Chinese coast guard and navy ships, along with suspected militia vessels, have been accused of separately ramming and blocking and using powerful water cannons against Philippine and Vietnamese ships in the disputed South China Sea in recent years.
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China claims virtually the entire waterway, where it has bolstered its coast guard and navy presence and built artificial island bases to fortify its claims. Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have also been involved in the long-simmering territorial standoffs.
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In the East China Sea, China has routinely sent coast guard vessels and planes into waters and airspace surrounding islands that are claimed by both Tokyo and Beijing to harass Japanese vessels. That has prompted Japan at times to scramble jets in response.
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The U.S. has repeatedly warned China over its escalating acts of aggression in the disputed waters against Japan and the Philippines, which are among Washington’s staunchest treaty allies in Asia.
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