China Protests After US Rallies Allies in South China Sea

China has blasted President Joe Biden's upcoming summit with two key Pacific allies as an attempt to "cobble together exclusive groups" and inflame regional tensions.

The remark by China's foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning on Monday came days before U.S. President Joe Biden hosts Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in the countries' first trilateral summit.

These talks come amid Beijing's increasingly assertive moves to back up its territorial claims and are expected to address countering China in the Asia-Pacific.

Beijing's reaction also comes on the heels of the first joint naval exercises between the U.S. and the Philippines, Japan, and Australia in the disputed South China Sea.

China sends maritime forces on near-daily patrols around the Tokyo-administered Senkaku Islands. It also claims most of the South China Sea as its territory. And Chinese coast guard and paramilitary vessels regularly intercept Philippine vessels as well as blockade features within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.

Asked during Monday's press conference to respond to reports the upcoming summit would include defense discussions, Mao said: "Defense cooperation between any countries should be conducive to regional peace and stability. We oppose cobbling together exclusive groupings and stoking bloc confrontation in the region."

Mao also took aim at the U.S.'s plan, announced by U.S. Army Pacific commander Gen. Charles Flynn on Wednesday April 3, to station surface-launched medium-range missiles in the Indo-Pacific by the end of the year in what is being seen as a deterrent against the People's Liberation Army.

Flynn had declined to specify what type of system would be deployed or where.

"We urge the U.S. to earnestly respect other countries' security concerns and stop undermining peace and stability in the region," the spokesperson said.

The Chinese foreign ministry did not immediately respond to Newsweek's request for comment.

Also on Monday, White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told members of the press that they could expect to hear about a "wide range of deliverables" following Biden's bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Kishida Wednesday.

On Thursday Biden will meet separately with President Marcos for their second face-to-face in a year, followed by the conference between all three leaders.

"The United States, Japan, and the Philippines are three closely aligned maritime democracies with increasingly convergent strategic objectives, interests, and, frankly, concerns in areas like the South China Sea," Kirby said.

"The leaders are expected to announce new initiatives across a range of important issues during this historic trilateral meeting," he said, adding they are seeking ways to deepen cooperation to "ensure a free, open, prosperous, secure Indo-Pacific."

The U.S., the Philippines, and Japan have been upping the pace of collaboration in the name of regional security over the past year.

Japan chose the Philippines as the first beneficiary of its new Official Security Assistance program last year and pledged a $4 million coastal radar system to augment the Southeast Asian country's surveillance capabilities.

During his address to the Philippine legislature in November, a first for a Japanese prime minister, Kishida also proposed routine exchanges between the countries' armed forces.

Last April, Manila approved access to four additional bases under the countries' Enhanced Defense Cooperation Arrangement, which allows the U.S. to station troops at joint U.S.-Philippine military facilities.

Last month, reports said the U.S. Army would help construct a seaport on the northernmost Philippine province, near Taiwan and the Miyako Strait, a strategic pinch point that would be key to denying Chinese forces access to the open Pacific in the event of a conflict.