China claims almost the entire South China Sea, including the maritime economic zones of neighbouring nations. The Second Thomas Shoal is within the Philippines’ 320km exclusive economic zone. A 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration found that China’s sweeping claims have no legal basis.
Japan has a dispute with China over islands in the East China Sea.
“China’s frequent tactic is to try to isolate the target of its pressure campaigns, but the April 11 trilateral signals clearly that the Philippines is not alone,” said Daniel Russel, who served as the top US diplomat for East Asia under former President Barack Obama.
The US plans a Coast Guard joint patrol in the Indo-Pacific region in the coming year as well as joint maritime training activities. Washington will also place “humanitarian relief commodities for Philippine civilian disaster response” at Philippine military bases, an official said.
More joint patrols in the coming months can be expected in the South China Sea after drills by the United States, Australia, the Philippines and Japan last weekend, another US official said.
Source: CNA
