(MENAFN- AzerNews)
By Alimat Aliyeva
Japan, the United States, and the Philippines will hold a
trilateral meeting to discuss joint maritime security,
Azernews reports.
Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and his Filipino
counterpart Enrique Manalo reached an agreement during talks held
on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Italy.
According to Japanese public television, the parties have agreed
to hold a meeting in Tokyo in December-marking the first trilateral
talks in this format.
"We would like to work closely with the Philippines, with whom
we share fundamental values and principles, to peacefully resolve
international issues and conflicts, including the situation in the
South China Sea," NHK quoted the Japanese Foreign Minister as
saying.
Tensions persist in the South China Sea due to competing
territorial claims over the Spratly Archipelago and the Paracel
Islands. China, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia, and the Philippines are
involved in this longstanding dispute, which is further complicated
by strategic interests and the presence of significant natural
resources in the region, such as oil and natural gas reserves. The
area is also crucial for global shipping, with about one-third of
global maritime trade passing through it.
In recent years, the United States has been vocal in supporting
its allies in the region, including the Philippines, against
China's growing influence and militarization of artificial islands.
Japan, a key US ally, has also expressed concern over China's
assertive actions, including its "nine-dash line" claim, which
overlaps with the exclusive economic zones (EEZs) of several
Southeast Asian countries.
The trilateral talks in December are expected to focus on
strengthening maritime security, enhancing cooperation on maritime
law enforcement, and discussing how to counter China's actions in
the region, which have led to calls for greater regional stability
and adherence to international law, particularly the United Nations
Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
As the South China Sea dispute intensifies, there is growing
international pressure on China to comply with international
rulings, such as the 2016 Hague ruling, which invalidated China's
territorial claims. However, China has refused to accept the
ruling, citing historical claims over the region.
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