Participants in the first-ever Japan-US-Philippines Maritime Dialogue held 10 December, confirmed their countries’ commitment to strengthening cooperation among them as natural partners and maritime nations linked together by the Pacific Ocean.

They exchanged views on the recent developments in the South China Sea and reaffirmed their opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force.

Japan and the US expressed their support for the Philippines’ consistent efforts toward a peaceful settlement of disputes in the South China Sea and reiterated their strong expectation that the parties to the disputes would comply with the Arbitral Tribunal’s award thereby leading to a peaceful settlement of disputes.

They shared the view to further deepen maritime cooperation to realize a free and open Indo-Pacific based on the rule of law.

Nakamura Ryo, assistant minister/director-general of Southeast and Southwest Asian Affairs Department of the Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, chaired the dialogue with representatives from the National Security Secretariat, Ministry of Defense and the Japan Coast Guard.

From the US side, Dr. Mira Rapp-Hooper, special assistant to the president and NSC Senior Director of the United States, attended the dialogue with representatives from the Department of State, Department of Defense and the US Coast Guard.

The Philippines was represented by Maria Theresa P. Lazaro, Undersecretary of Bilateral Relations and ASEAN Affairs, Department of Foreign Affairs together with representatives from the National Security Council, the Department of National Defense and Philippine Coast Guard.