The defense chiefs of the Philippines, Australia, Japan, and the United States expressed “continued serious concern” about China’s destabilizing actions in the East China Sea (ECS) and South China Sea (SCS) after a meeting in Singapore.
In a joint statement, Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Richard Marles, Japanese Defense Minister Nakatani Gen, and U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth condemned any unilateral attempts by China to change the status quo by force or coercion.
They also highlighted “dangerous conduct by China in the SCS against the Philippines and other countries” and stressed the need for peaceful dispute resolution. The defense leaders emphasized the importance of upholding international law, freedom of navigation, and overflight as outlined by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
“The defense leaders called for peace and stability in the region. They underscored the importance of the central role of ASEAN and the ASEAN-led regional architecture in ensuring security and stability in the Indo-Pacific Region,” the statement added.
The meeting marked their fourth in three years, reinforcing cooperation for a free and open Indo-Pacific.
The leaders agreed on four key priorities: synchronizing defense investments to support the Philippines, enhancing information-sharing through security agreements, strengthening cybersecurity and defense resilience, and increasing operational coordination and interoperability in the region.
They committed to sustaining multilateral maritime activities, planning joint intelligence and surveillance operations, and holding regular meetings to maintain strong defense cooperation.
