Biden, Kishida and Marcos make common cause against China

But trilateral response raises concerns over in-built military aspects

- Bhagyashree Garekar

WASHINGTON - It was the second summit in two days in the US capital where the critique of China stood out.

"We express our serious concerns about the People's Republic of China's (PRC) dangerous and aggressive behaviour in the South China Sea," said the leaders of the United States, Japan and the Philippines in a joint vision statement after their first trilateral meeting on April II.

"We are also concerned by the militarisation of reclaimed features and unlawful maritime claims in the South China Sea," they said, while also noting the "dangerous and coercive use of coast guard and maritime militia vessels in the South China Sea".

And in a show of support for the Philippines, there was a reference to the Second Thomas Shoal, a submerged reef that lies inside the Philippines' exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and which China also claims.

Tensions have risen between Beijing and Manila over the Chinese coast guard's attempts to stop the resupplying of a Philippine navy ship grounded at the shoal, including by firing water cannon at supply ships.

"We reiterate serious concern over the PRC's repeated obstruction of Philippine vessels' exercise of high seas freedom of navigation and the disruption of supply lines to Second Thomas Shoal, which constitute dangerous and destabilising conduct," the vision statement said.

The pointed mentions of China as an aggressor echoed those made when the US and Japan announced the most significant upgrade to their security alliance on April 10.

Those remarks produced a strong reaction in Beijing, with its foreign ministry spokesperson saying the US and Japan had "smeared and attacked China on Taiwan and maritime issues, grossly interfered in China's internal affairs". Demarches or diplomatic reprimands had also been issued.