The United States, Japan, and the Philippines have committed to strengthening their collective defense capabilities by conducting joint naval exercises in the Indo-Pacific waters, where tensions have escalated. National security adviser Jake Sullivan, along with his Japanese and Philippine counterparts, recently met in Tokyo to discuss the enhancement of trilateral cooperation between their nations. The discussions focused on security challenges in the South China Sea and East China Sea, including North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs, as well as the importance of preserving peace in the Taiwan Strait. In a joint statement, the officials emphasized the significance of a free and open maritime order in the Indo-Pacific region and expressed their opposition to any attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion. They also agreed to advance trilateral defense cooperation through new Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites, as well as reciprocal visits between military officials. Future trilateral exchanges among their National Security Secretariats were planned to expand cooperation and information-sharing. Sullivan emphasized that this trilateral framework is part of the United States’ broader engagements in the Indo-Pacific region, including three-way cooperation with Japan and South Korea, as well as the Quad security dialogue involving Australia, India, and Japan. Furthermore, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida welcomed Philippine national security adviser Eduardo Ano for a courtesy call, expressing his desire for closer cooperation in addressing shared geopolitical challenges. These discussions followed the quadrilateral talks between the defense ministers of the United States, Japan, the Philippines, and Australia, held during the Shangri-La Dialogue defense summit. The ministers discussed regional issues of mutual interest and opportunities to expand cooperation in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific. This dialogue coincided with China’s growing assertiveness in the South China Sea and concerns over potential escalation in Taiwan. The Philippines, due to its proximity to Taiwan, expressed concerns about being directly affected by any tension escalation. To address this, the Philippines has granted the United States access to several military bases near Taiwan. However, China warned that this move could disrupt regional peace and stability. The Philippine Defense Department clarified that its decision to grant access to military bases was aimed at bolstering defense capabilities and not directed against any specific country.