The U.S. and Japan will announce a historic upgrade in security ties to counter China
NBCApr 04
US-Japan-Philippines Trilateral Summit to Discuss Economy, South China Sea
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The Facts
Philippine Pres. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. claimed during a speech on Wednesday that the "main intent" of an upcoming trilateral summit alongside the US and Japan in Washington, D.C., was to "strengthen" economic cooperation as well as to "keep the peace" in the South China Sea.
According to the country's presidential office (PCO), the Philippines hopes for the the summit to lead to approximately US$100B in investment deals over the next five-to-ten years, covering sectors such as energy and digital infrastructure.
The Spin
Anti-China narrative
This trilateral summit is, no doubt, a significant moment in international relations. As China's Xi Jinping continues to bully in and around the South China Sea, Indo-Pacific nations have sought further US engagement and cooperation in order to ensure rule of law and freedom of navigation. The trilateral summit is the fruit of China's needless aggression towards its neighbors.
Pro-China narrative
The front of peace, cooperation, and order expected to be displayed by the US, Japan, and the Philippines at Thursday's summit is merely a veil for discussions of war, confrontation, and chaos. While this partnership will be inevitably fruitless in achieving any long-term goals, the summit is a vivid example of the continued efforts of malicious actors to destabilize the South China Sea and block China's legitimate right to its sovereign territory.