In his first-ever trilateral summit with the leaders of Japan and the Philippines, U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday reiterated Washington¡¯s commitment to defending the Philippines from any armed attack in the South China Sea, in what was seen as a warning to Beijing and an effort to reassure allies worried about Chinese activities in disputed waters.
¡°The United States¡¯ defense commitments to Japan and to the Philippines are ironclad,¡± Biden said as he began three-way talks at the White House with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The three agreed on a flurry of defense, security and economic initiatives, including joint naval patrols, increased coast guard cooperation and large infrastructure projects.
¡°Any attack on Philippine aircraft, vessels or armed forces in the South China Sea would invoke our mutual defense treaty,¡± Biden said amid concerns about the numerous incidents between Chinese and Philippine vessels in recent months, particularly around Second Thomas, a submerged reef also claimed by Beijing that is home to a Philippine garrison sitting atop a grounded warship.
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