NATIONAL
Advocates Philippines
PH, Australia, Japan, US Unite Against China's 'Destabilizing Moves' In Asia Seas
Photo credit: DND
Four major allies — the Philippines, Australia, Japan, and the United States — have voiced serious concern over what they call China’s destabilizing actions in the East and South China Seas.
In a joint statement released Sunday night, the defense chiefs from the four nations — Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Richard Marles, Japanese Defense Minister Koizumi Shinjiro, and US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth — met in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, last November 1 to discuss growing tensions in the region.
“The ministers and secretaries reiterated their serious concern regarding China’s destabilizing actions... and strongly opposed any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion,” the statement read.
This latest meeting marks the fifth time the four countries’ defense leaders have met in the past three years — a clear sign of their strengthening ties and shared commitment to keep the Indo-Pacific region “free and open.”
The group also emphasized the need to uphold international law, including freedom of navigation and overflight — principles enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). They reaffirmed that the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award remains final and legally binding.
All four defense leaders also threw their full support behind ASEAN’s central role in maintaining peace and stability in the region. They agreed to:
• Reinforce deterrence and operational readiness through closer defense cooperation;
• Enhance coordination and information-sharing among their militaries; and
• Establish an Indo-Pacific Chiefs of Defense Cooperation Council to align defense policies and operations more effectively.
The ministers also applauded the implementation of the Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) between Japan and the Philippines — a move that paves the way for deeper military cooperation.
They also looked forward to the 2026 “Balikatan” exercises, which will bring together troops from all four nations for joint drills in the Philippines to further boost preparedness and interoperability.
As tensions continue to rise in the region, the message from Manila, Canberra, Tokyo, and Washington is clear: they’re standing together to defend peace, stability, and the rule of law in the Indo-Pacific.
In a joint statement released Sunday night, the defense chiefs from the four nations — Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Richard Marles, Japanese Defense Minister Koizumi Shinjiro, and US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth — met in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, last November 1 to discuss growing tensions in the region.
“The ministers and secretaries reiterated their serious concern regarding China’s destabilizing actions... and strongly opposed any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion,” the statement read.
This latest meeting marks the fifth time the four countries’ defense leaders have met in the past three years — a clear sign of their strengthening ties and shared commitment to keep the Indo-Pacific region “free and open.”
The group also emphasized the need to uphold international law, including freedom of navigation and overflight — principles enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). They reaffirmed that the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award remains final and legally binding.
All four defense leaders also threw their full support behind ASEAN’s central role in maintaining peace and stability in the region. They agreed to:
• Reinforce deterrence and operational readiness through closer defense cooperation;
• Enhance coordination and information-sharing among their militaries; and
• Establish an Indo-Pacific Chiefs of Defense Cooperation Council to align defense policies and operations more effectively.
The ministers also applauded the implementation of the Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) between Japan and the Philippines — a move that paves the way for deeper military cooperation.
They also looked forward to the 2026 “Balikatan” exercises, which will bring together troops from all four nations for joint drills in the Philippines to further boost preparedness and interoperability.
As tensions continue to rise in the region, the message from Manila, Canberra, Tokyo, and Washington is clear: they’re standing together to defend peace, stability, and the rule of law in the Indo-Pacific.
Nov 3, 2025
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