Japan, US, Australia, Philippines express concern over China
The defence ministers of Japan, the United States, Australia and the Philippines have expressed "serious concern" about China's unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the East and South China seas.
In a joint statement released after their meeting in Singapore on Saturday, the defence leaders also said they concurred on the importance of regularly convening meetings at the ministerial level to reinforce cooperation and coordination among the four countries.
The four are Japanese Defence Minister Gen Nakatani, US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth, Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles and Philippine Secretary of National Defence Gilberto Teodoro.
The defence chiefs confirmed the importance of information sharing in the South China Sea and the Indo-Pacific region. They welcomed the start of discussions on an information protection agreement between Japan and the Philippines following a summit meeting between the two countries in April.
The four also agreed to jointly invest in strengthening the Philippines' cybersecurity system.
Japan's Maritime Self-Defence Force and the navies of the United States, Australia and the Philippines have engaged in joint exercises. The ministers agreed to study plans for intelligence gathering, surveillance and reconnaissance activities to monitor activities in the East and South China seas, with China in mind.
In a press conference after the talks, Japan's Nakatani said, "It is extremely important for the four countries to deepen cooperation on common issues."
This was the first defence ministers' meeting among the four countries since the talks in Hawaii in May last year.
The defence chiefs of Japan, the United States and Australia also held a meeting in Singapore on Saturday. They agreed to cooperate in live-fire training and other activities related to the US-made Tomahawk cruise missile.
[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
