Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is heading to the Philippines Friday to pitch a new security arrangement for the countries, both of which are facing territorial challenges from an increasingly assertive China.
Washington views both U.S. allies as integral to its Indo-Pacific strategy, and both Japan and the Philippines are on the front lines of Chinese expansion in the East and South China Sea, respectively.
But Japan and the Philippines' growing closeness is viewed with suspicion by Beijing.
Japan's move to transfer defense-related equipment is a product of Tokyo's "desire to create chaos and provoke conflicts," Chinese state-backed outlet the Global Times said Wednesday. The outlet quoted an academic as saying that Japan hopes the Philippines will "act as a vanguard in stirring up the South China Sea," while the Philippines seeks to "rely on external forces to gain leverage."
The tabloid also asserted Tokyo's proposed security framework for the Philippines defies Japan's pacifist post-war constitution and that Japan's closest ally, the U.S., has turned a blind eye in order, in the words of the academic, to use its partners to "maintain its advantage in great power competition."
The Chinese Embassy in the U.S. did not immediately respond to Newsweek's request for comment.
New Stage in Japan-Philippines Security Ties
Japan's government unveiled its Official Security Assistance (OSA) framework earlier this year. Unlike the Official Development Assistance program that targets economic and social initiatives in developing countries, OSA is meant to strengthen the defense and deterrence capabilities of "like-minded countries." Other OSA recipients Japan has selected for this year are Bangladesh, Fiji, and Malaysia. Kishida will fly to Malaysia after leaving the Philippines Saturday.
Japan is reportedly preparing to launch OSA by offering the Philippines maritime surveillance radar and other equipment. Also being considered is a reciprocal access agreement that would greenlight joint exercises and exchanges between Japan's Self-Defense Forces and the Philippines' military.
During Kishida's two-day stay in the Southeast Asian country, he is expected to discuss the proposed security framework with Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.
Kishida will also address a special joint session of the Philippine Congress Saturday morning, becoming the first Japanese head of state to do so. His visit is a sign of "the deep and longstanding bond our nations have forged, built on mutual respect, shared values, and a unified vision for peace, stability, and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region," House Speaker Martin Romualdez said in a statement.
China-Japan Territorial Dispute
China's Foreign Ministry on Wednesday accused a group of Japanese ships and patrol boats of sailing near the Senkaku Islands—a move it said was a serious violation of China's sovereignty—and alleged the Chinese Coast Guard had taken "necessary measures" to expel them. The uninhabited islets are administered by Japan, but China claims them as its own.
Since 2012, Chinese Coast Guard ships have become a regular sight in nearby waters, which studies have suggested may be rich in oil. In 2021, Beijing passed a law authorizing its Coast Guard fleet to use lethal force, if necessary, to enforce its territorial claims.
The U.S. takes no position on ownership of the Senkakus, but Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin recently emphasized Washington's "ironclad" commitment to its mutual defense treaty with Japan, which extends to the islands.
China-Philippines Territorial Disputes
Earlier in the week, Beijing blasted Manila for violating its territory as well as "international law and basic norms governing international relations" after a Philippine corvette sailed near the disputed Scarborough Shoal. The U.S. Embassy in Manila weighed in Thursday, saying Chinese ships' shadowing of the corvette was "detrimental to regional peace," according to the Philippine News Agency.
Scarborough Shoal, which lies within the Philippines' economic exclusive zone, has been one of the most hotly contested spots in the South China Sea in recent years. China exercises de facto control over it after achieving a fait accompli in 2012 by swarming nearby waters with fishing boats backed by Coast Guard and maritime militia vessels.
An exclusive economic zone is an area extending 200 miles from a country's coastline within which that country has the sole right to exploit the underwater resources. The Philippines previously took China to the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration, where China refused to send a representative, and the court in 2016 rejected Beijing's claim over most of the South China Sea.
Another point of contention between Manila and Beijing is Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly Islands. The Philippines maintains a small contingent of marines there on a deliberately grounded ship. Chinese maritime forces attempting to block a Philippine supply mission to Second Thomas Shoal recently caused two collisions, damaging a Philippine Coast Guard boat and a supply boat. In February, a Chinese vessel allegedly fired a military-grade laser at a Philippine patrol boat, temporarily blinding crew members.
Update 11/02/23 1:53 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
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About the writer
Micah McCartney is a reporter for Newsweek based in Taipei, Taiwan. He covers U.S.-China relations, East Asian and Southeast Asian ... Read more
