Ishiba urges PH-Japan cooperation amid East, South China Sea tensions
MANILA, Philippines — Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru expressed opposition to any attempts to alter the status quo in the East and South China Seas, urging for continued cooperation between Tokyo and Manila.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. met with Ishiba in Malacañan Palace on Tuesday, April 29. The two spoke about defense and development ties between Japan and the Philippines.
The two countries each have ongoing maritime disputes with China: Beijing claims nearly the entire South China Sea, including areas within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone, as well as parts of the East China Sea that are under Japanese control.
Following the discussion on possible defense agreements, Ishiba denounced efforts to shake up the tensions in the disputed waters.
“I hope that our two nations can continuously communicate with each other to oppose attempts to change the status quo in the East and South China Seas by force or coercion and to realize [a] free and open Indo-Pacific based on Rule of Law,” Ishiba said, as translated by his party’s interpreter.
Marcos called Japan a “reliable and steadfast partner in the region.”
“On defense and security cooperation, it is of note that the Philippines is the first recipient of Japan’s Official Security Assistance (OSA), and even as a new initiative, barely three years old, the OSA has allowed our security agencies, especially the Department of National Defense, to achieve meaningful upgrades,” Marcos said in his speech.
The OSA is Japan’s grant aid cooperation framework that supports the development of a recipient country’s defense infrastructure. In 2024, Tokyo and Manila signed an agreement for ¥1.6 billion (approximately P628 million) worth of OSA.
During the bilateral meeting, Marcos and Ishiba also discussed the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA), which is an agreement for the exchange of logistical support and supplies between two militaries.
The Philippines has continuously bore the brunt of China’s annexation of its sovereign waters in the West Philippine Sea. China recently claimed the Sandy Cay, which is part of Philippine territory.
However, the Philippine government has already dismissed China’s claim, saying that no one was there when they inspected the disputed reef.
- Latest
- Trending
