Japan, Philippines, US rebuke China over ‘dangerous’ South China Sea moves

The trilateral meeting between Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and United States President Joe Biden took place on September 27, 2022, at the White House in Washington, D.C. The leaders emphasized the significance of upholding international maritime law, particularly in the context of tensions in the South China Sea.

The South China Sea is a vital economic region, rich in natural resources such as fish stocks, oil, and gas. It is also a crucial shipping lane for global trade. However, China has been asserting its territorial claims over large parts of the sea, often through aggressive actions such as building artificial islands, deploying military assets, and harassing other countries' vessels.

Japan, a major player in the Asia-Pacific region, has been concerned about China's actions in the South China Sea as they could potentially threaten its own interests. The Philippines, which has a long-standing territorial dispute with China over the Spratly Islands, has repeatedly called for the upholding of international law in the region.

The United States, as a Pacific power with significant economic and security interests in the Asia-Pacific, has also been vocal about the need to uphold international maritime law in the South China Sea. The U.S. has conducted freedom of navigation operations (FONOPs) in the region to challenge China's claims and maintain the rules-based international order.

During their meeting, the leaders reaffirmed their commitment to upholding international maritime law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). They also emphasized the importance of peaceful resolution of disputes and maintaining stability in the region.

The statement issued after the meeting read, "The leaders underscored their strong opposition to any unilateral actions that would seek to change the status quo or increase tensions in the East and South China Seas." The leaders also pledged to deepen their cooperation on various fronts, including security, economic, and people-to-people exchanges.

The meeting came at a time when tensions in the region were high due to China's increasing assertiveness in the South China Sea. The leaders' joint statement was seen as a strong message to China to respect international law and avoid actions that could escalate tensions in the region.