The United States, Philippines, and Japan raised “serious concerns” over China’s repeated blocking and continuing harassment of Philippine vessels in the West Philippine Sea during their inaugural trilateral maritime talks in Tokyo on December 10. The inaugural session lasted three- and one-half hours.
According to Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the participants in the meeting exchanged views on the recent developments in the South China Sea and reaffirmed their opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force.
Japan and the U.S. expressed their support for the Philippines’ consistent efforts toward a peaceful settlement of disputes in the South China Sea and reiterated their strong expectation that the parties to the disputes would comply with the Arbitral Tribunal’s award as to the disputes between the Republic of the Philippines and the People’s Republic of China regarding the South China Sea, thereby leading to peaceful settlement of disputes.
Participants noted that the U.S.-Philippines and Japan-Philippines bilateral cooperation in the maritime domain has become even closer since the summer; this is expected to enhance the momentum of trilateral cooperation in the next year and beyond.
The Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) noted this inaugural dialogue was a “significant milestone in demonstrating the deepening cooperation of the Philippines, Japan and the U.S. on maritime concerns.” The talks, it further noted, reflected the three nations’ “enduring commitment to uphold a free, open and secure Indo-Pacific through the rules-based international order.”
Representatives of the DFA also announced the Philippines’ willingness to host the Second Trilateral Maritime Dialogue in 2025, which was welcomed in the discussions.
On December 10, 2024, the U.S. Department of State issued the following brief summary of the inaugural session:
“On December 10, Japan hosted the inaugural United States-Japan-Philippines Maritime Dialogue in Tokyo, Japan.
In April, the Leaders of the United States, Japan, and the Philippines met at the White House for the first trilateral Leaders’ Summit, where they committed to deepening cooperation across sectors, including maritime security, to advance a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific. At the Summit, our Leaders announced a new trilateral maritime dialogue to enhance coordination and collective responses.
Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel J. Kritenbrink, National Security Council Senior Director for East Asia and Oceania Mira Rapp-Hooper, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for South and Southeast Asia Laura Updegrove, Deputy Commander, U.S. Forces Japan Major General George Rowell, and U.S. Coast Guard Director of International Affairs and Foreign Policy Advisor Holly Haverstick were the senior representatives for the U.S. delegation.
At the dialogue, the United States, Japan, and the Philippines discussed regional maritime issues. They expressed serious concerns about the PRC’s dangerous and unlawful behavior in the South China Sea – including the repeated blocking and harassment of Philippine vessels from operating within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone – behavior that threatens the freedoms of navigation and overflight of all nations. Participants also reaffirmed their commitment to upholding international law as reflected in the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention.
The three countries also discussed opportunities to strengthen future trilateral cooperation and engagement with other partners through maritime cooperative activities, combined trainings, maritime law enforcement and coast guard capacity building.”