President Biden Reaffirms US Defense Commitment Amid Japan and Philippines’ Territorial Disputes

TFD – Delve into President Biden’s pivotal role in reaffirming the US’s defense commitment amid territorial disputes between Japan, the Philippines, and China. Learn about the East Room meeting’s significance and Biden’s stance on mutual defense, shaping regional security dynamics.

As he met the leaders of Japan and the Philippines on Thursday amid their respective territorial disputes with China, President Joe Biden reaffirmed the US’s “ironclad” commitment to their defense.

A day after Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s official visit to the White House, Biden welcomed Filipino President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to the White House for the first-ever trilateral conference between the three nations.

“On Thursday, in the East Room of the White House, we can create a better future for everyone when we unite as a single unit.”

There are two distinct territorial disputes between Japan and the Philippines and China: the former is over the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, while the latter is disputing regions in the South China Sea.

Second Thomas Shoal, which is located roughly 200 kilometers (125 miles) off the coast of the Philippine island of Palawan, has been the center of hostilities between the Philippines and China. To support its claim to the territory, the Philippines grounded an antiquated navy transport ship from World War II on the shoal in the 1990s. Currently a rusting ruin, the ship is staffed by Filipino marines who are stationed on a rotating basis.

In the meantime, China disobeys an international arbitration ruling by claiming sovereignty over the shoal, which is located in the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines, as well as a large portion of the South China Sea. China Coast Guard ships have engaged in recent fights with Philippine resupply boats, firing water cannons at them, injuring Filipino sailors and damaging the vessels. The Philippine forces were trying to replenish the forces on board.

Biden stated on Thursday that “any attack on Philippine aircraft, vessels, or armed forces in the South China Sea would invoke our mutual defense treaty,” referring to the ongoing tensions between the Philippines and China.

The US and the Philippines signed the first mutual defense treaty in the Asia-Pacific region in 1951. It stated that both countries would assist in defending one another in the event that a third party invaded either country.

The White House is extremely concerned about China’s actions in the South China Sea, a senior administration official stated prior to the meeting. Thursday’s meeting is the government’s most recent attempt to deal with that kind of Chinese aggressiveness.

Prior to the meeting on Thursday, an official stated, “What you’ll see is a clear demonstration of support and resolve from both President Biden and Prime Minister Kishida that we stand shoulder to shoulder with Marcos ready to support and work with the Philippines at every turn.”

The United States, Japan, and the Philippines “meet today as friends and partners bound by a shared vision in pursuit of a peaceful, stable, and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” according to Marcos’ statement on Thursday.

Marcos continued, saying that “a profound respect for democracy, good governance, and the rule of law” unites the three nations.

The meeting takes place at a time when the region is dealing with nuclear provocations from North Korea, its growing relationship with Russia, and China’s aggressive posture toward Taiwan and the South China Sea. These issues have brought regional allies closer to the US.

Japan has been at the forefront of Biden’s efforts to forge alliances in the Indo-Pacific because of Kishida, who has considerably changed the nation’s security posture in recent years and has continued to back Ukraine despite Russia’s invasion of that country. In order to strengthen its capacity to counterattack, Kishida purchased American Tomahawk missiles and pledged to raise defense spending by 2% of GDP by 2037.

In an effort to mend the strained ties that former President Rodrigo Duterte’s pursuit of stronger connections with China had caused, Biden hosted Marcos at the White House last year.

During that visit, Biden assured the visiting leader that “we’re going to continue to support the Philippines military’s modernization goals,” adding that the two countries “not only share a strong partnership – we share a deep friendship, one that has been enriched by millions of Filipino Americans in the communities all across the United States.”

A notable aspect of the gathering on Thursday consisted of multiple declarations intended to support the Philippines throughout those conflicts.

A senior administration official also stated that a new infrastructure project in the Philippines will be announced by the White House on Thursday. One of the announcements, as TFD reported earlier this week, is the creation of a new rail and shipping corridor between the Subic Naval Base and Clark Air Base in the Philippines. This action is intended to send a strong message to Beijing.

On Thursday, Biden mentioned the economic corridor in passing, saying, “It means more jobs for people across the entire region.” “It entails increased investment in industries vital to our future, including agriculture, ports, railroads, and clean energy,

The White House is also expected to increase the Filipino military’s capability with a new infrastructure investment similar to what the US announced in India in the leadup to the G20.

Following reports of “harassment” by Chinese ships in the South China Sea by Philippine boats, the US, Japan, and Philippines, along with Australia, conducted maritime military drills close to the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the days preceding the summit.

The senior official continued by saying that the US and Japan will be contributing millions of dollars in money, and that the White House would also be making statements regarding “Open Radio Access Network technology.”

Additionally, officials stated that “in the coming year” they will make public the details of a planned Coast Guard patrol in the Indo-Pacific.

More developments have been added to this story and headline.