Japan, Philippines strengthen defence pact to counter China’s regional aggression

Amid rising geopolitical tensions in the Asia-Pacific region, Japan and the Philippines have taken significant steps to bolster their defense cooperation, highlighted by the recent signing of the Reciprocal Access Agreement. This agreement, aimed at enhancing military interoperability and joint exercises, underscores both nations' efforts to counter China's assertive actions in regional maritime disputes.

Japan and the Philippines' defence agreement signed on July 8 aims to counter China's escalating assertiveness in the region and establish a deterrent strategy independent of reliance on the United States.

Known as the "Reciprocal Access Agreement," the pact allows for the exchange of armed forces for training and joint military exercises between Tokyo and Manila. It comes amid heightened tensions between the Philippines and China over the Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea, Caliber.Az reports citing the foreign media.

The agreement was formally concluded in Manila, where Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa signed the document in the presence of President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr.

According to Philippine state media, Teodoro described the partnership between the Philippines and Japan as being elevated to a new level. He emphasized during a joint briefing following the RAA ceremony that this marks another significant step in their joint efforts to uphold a rules-based international order, ensuring peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, particularly in their shared area of concern.

The cooperation also involves the exchange of defense equipment and technology, such as air and coastal surveillance radar, and will expand upon Japan’s Official Development Assistance initiative, which has provided defense support to countries sharing similar interests, including the Philippines.

"The elephant in the room is China, and this is the strategic focal point bringing the Philippines and Japan together," said Rahman Yaacob, a research fellow in the Southeast Asia Program at the Lowy Institute.

The Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) represents Japan's second such pact with a nation in the Asia-Pacific region, following similar agreements with Australia in 2022. The treaty will need to be ratified by the respective legislative bodies of both the Philippines and Japan before it can take effect.

Kamikawa hailed the signing of the RAA as "a significant achievement" for both countries to enhance their security and defense collaboration.

"Both nations are embroiled in maritime territorial disputes with China, and they are confronting increasingly assertive and aggressive Chinese naval forces," Yaacob noted.

Amid escalating tensions with China, both Japan and the Philippines have been intensifying their cooperation with the US. In April, the White House reaffirmed its "ironclad" commitment to defend these allies in a joint statement involving all three nations.

However, the signing of the Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) indicates that US allies in the region are seeking a more proactive role in regional defense and security, rather than relying solely on the US for deterrence, explained Muhammad Faizal, a research fellow at the Singapore-based S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies.

"They recognize that they cannot rely solely on the US-led regional security framework to maintain a balance of power vis-à-vis China, especially as the US faces increasing domestic distractions and conflicts in other regions," Faizal noted.

Japan and China have long-standing disputes over islands in the East China Sea, with Japanese officials reporting multiple instances of Chinese coast guard vessels entering disputed waters this year.

Meanwhile, tensions have escalated between Chinese and Philippine coast guard and navy vessels in the South China Sea in recent months. Under President Xi Jinping's "nine-dash" line assertion, Beijing claims nearly the entire South China Sea, a critical regional trade route.

In a recent incident, Chinese Coast Guard vessels reportedly seized and damaged two Philippine ships and injured military personnel during a resupply mission to an outpost on the disputed Second Thomas Shoal, according to Philippine officials.

Japan and the US were among the first nations to condemn Beijing's actions, while China defended its actions as necessary to protect its sovereignty.