President Joe Biden is expected to address China’s recent aggressive behavior in the South China Sea during his upcoming meetings with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in Washington, as reported by the Financial Times.
The summit, scheduled for April 11, will be the first-ever trilateral meeting between the three nations, focusing on shared concerns regarding China’s increasing power and influence in the South China Sea. The leaders will discuss cooperation on economic growth, emerging technologies, clean energy, climate cooperation, and peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region and globally.
The escalating tensions in the South China Sea have led to dangerous confrontations, including the recent incident where Chinese vessels harassed Philippine ships at the Second Thomas Shoal. Biden is expected to affirm that the 1951 U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty covers the disputed region, warning China of potential escalation if their aggressive actions continue.
U.S. officials have assured Manila that any armed attack on Philippine forces in the South China Sea would invoke mutual defense commitments under the Treaty, clarifying previous ambiguities on the matter. Concerns have been raised that China’s blockade of the Second Thomas Shoal aims to seize control once the deteriorating Sierra Madre vessel collapses.
The report of Biden’s warning coincided with a joint maritime patrol in the South China Sea involving the U.S., Japan, Australia, and the Philippines. The patrol, aimed at countering Chinese assertiveness in the region, emphasizes the shared commitment to upholding international law and freedom of navigation.
In response to the joint patrol, China conducted its own strategic patrols in the South China Sea, accusing the four nations of stirring up tensions in the region. The ongoing tensions underscore the complexities and challenges surrounding the South China Sea disputes.