National Security Advisors of the United States, Japan, and the Philippines met in Tokyo, Japan, on June 16, to improve trilateral cooperation and discuss regional security challenges.
U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan held a meeting with National Security of Japan Akiba Takeo and National Security Advisor of the Philippines Eduardo Año to exchange views on a “concrete approach for improving trilateral cooperation,” the White House statement read.
According to the statement, the Japanese and the Philippines leaders welcomed the United States’ ironclad alliance commitments to both Japan and the Philippines. The three National Security Advisors reaffirmed the importance of deepening trilateral cooperation, which shares “fundamental values of freedom, democracy, and respect for human rights, in order to maintain and strengthen a free and open international order”.
The three officials underscored the importance of “enhancing trilateral cooperation and response capabilities” for maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
The White House statement highlighted that the three National Security Advisors concurred that “a free and open maritime order, characterized by freedom of navigation, and a free, fair, and equitable economic order are essential in the Indo-Pacific, especially given unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion.”
The statement further added that they discussed a wide range of regional security challenges “with respect to the South China Sea and the East China Sea, as well as North Korea” and “reiterated the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.”
The U.S., Japan, and the Philippines agreed to enhance trilateral defense and security capabilities, maintain a free and open maritime order, promote Maritime Domain Awareness, enhance trilateral cooperation on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and maintain a free and equitable economic order by promoting economic security and addressing economic coercion in coordination with other partners in the region.
At the end of the meeting, National Security Advisors of the United States, Japan, and the Philippines decided to convene additional exchanges in the coming months to further expand trilateral cooperation and information-sharing.
