In recent news related to the ongoing conflicts in the South China Sea, the Chinese Communist Party’s actions have led the Philippines to strengthen its cooperation with the United States. On Tuesday, April 23rd, high-level officials from both countries convened in Washington, D.C. for a 3+3 meeting hosted by U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell, aiming to deepen the outcomes of the recent leadership summit.
This meeting comes in the wake of the largest-ever joint military exercise between the U.S. and the Philippines dubbed “Shoulder-to-Shoulder,” which kicked off in the Philippines. According to a press release from the U.S. State Department on Tuesday afternoon, senior officials from the U.S. State Department, Department of Defense, and National Security Council engaged in discussions with counterparts from the Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of National Defense, and National Security Council in Washington, D.C.
The meeting, presided over by U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Campbell, focused on the continual promotion of a free and open Indo-Pacific region, as well as bolstering economic cooperation and resilience. The statement emphasized, “Both sides discussed the outcomes of recent leadership summits and how to further promote a free and open Indo-Pacific region.”
The statement further mentioned, “Officials deliberated on enhancing coordination to confront challenges in the South China Sea, along with strengthening economic cooperation and resilience. Both sides also agreed to seek more opportunities to enhance global support for upholding international maritime law.”
The month of April has been a crucial period for intensifying defense cooperation between the U.S. and the Philippines. Prior to the 3+3 meeting on Tuesday, the two countries held their annual strategic dialogue on April 22nd and 23rd. President Biden of the United States met with Filipino President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on April 11th and convened a historic trilateral summit involving the U.S., Japan, and the Philippines.
On the second day of the U.S.-Japan-Philippines trilateral summit, a ministerial-level 3+3 meeting was held between the U.S. and the Philippines. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan hosted the three Filipino counterpart officials in Washington, D.C.
The leaders of the U.S., Japan, and the Philippines have announced the launch of a humanitarian assistance and disaster relief exercise, which could be incorporated into trilateral or multilateral activities, including next year’s annual “Shoulder-to-Shoulder” military exercise between the U.S. and the Philippines (Balikatan 2025). This aims to “ensure that our nations are prepared and able to seamlessly and swiftly cooperate to address any crisis or emergency.”
This year’s U.S.-Philippines “Shoulder-to-Shoulder” joint military exercise, spanning three weeks, will involve over 16,700 U.S. and Filipino troops, along with the Australian Defence Force and a frigate from the French Navy. The scale of this exercise surpasses previous years, with a total of 14 countries worldwide participating as observers.