Japan, US, Philippines to set up framework to strengthen maritime cooperation | NHK

Japan, the United States and the Philippines are expected to agree on a plan to set up a new framework on maritime cooperation aimed at keeping China in check.

US President Joe Biden will meet Japan’s Prime Minister Kishida Fumio in Washington on Wednesday. Kishida will be visiting as state guest.

On Thursday, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will join them for the first-ever summit involving the three countries.

Major items on the agenda include possible responses to China’s aggressive actions in the South China Sea.

Chinese Coast Guard ships last month fired water cannons at Philippine resupply vessels heading to a military outpost near the Second Thomas Shoal. The Philippines effectively controls the area, but Beijing claims it.

Diplomatic sources say the three leaders are likely to agree on establishing a framework to discuss how to enhance coordination and collective responses in efforts to promote trilateral cooperation at sea.

The sources also say that final coordination is underway for the three leaders to confirm specific plans to allow members of the Japanese and Philippine coast guards to board a US Coast Guard vessel during a patrol mission in the Indo-Pacific region later this year.

Coast guard vessels from the three nations are expected to hold a joint exercise next year to fine-tune interoperability.