President Joe Biden has reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to defending the Philippines in the event of military threats in the South China Sea. This assurance, reiterated during a summit with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, highlights Biden’s stance on mutual defense as stipulated under the US-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty. The treaty covers all armed attacks on Philippine military forces, including the Coast Guard.

The announcement comes amidst rising tensions over China’s activities near the Second Thomas Shoal, which is within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone. The US, along with Japan, has expressed concerns about the Chinese coastguard’s efforts to obstruct the resupply of Philippine marines stationed aboard the Sierra Madre, a decommissioned vessel grounded at the shoal to assert the Philippines’ territorial claim.

In addition, during a trilateral summit, the leaders of the US, Japan, and the Philippines have voiced serious concerns about China’s assertive behaviors in the region and agreed on joint measures to strengthen their military alliances. These include joint patrols and exercises aimed at ensuring a secure and rule-based security framework in the Indo-Pacific region.

Concurrently, in a speech to the US Congress, Japanese Prime Minister Kishida encouraged the United States to maintain its global leadership role, emphasizing the importance of US involvement in upholding the international order and stability. Kishida’s address, which also acknowledged the longstanding US-Japan cooperation and the challenges posed by China, received bipartisan support from US lawmakers.

These developments underscore the ongoing strategic efforts by the US and its allies to address security concerns in the Asia-Pacific amid challenging dynamics with China.