Geoff: Today, president Biden host of the leaders of Japan in the Philippines and sent a strong message of unity to beijing. Nick schifrin has been following the developments and joins me now. Nick: The administration calls.
It the u.s.'s greatest strength, an alliance. Our oldest ally in Asia the Philippines and today we are expanding in direct response to China. With the camera and water can in the Chinese coast guard takes direct aim at a Philippines.
Supply ship. For weeks beijing's boats have arrest and even bumped Philippine boats trying to resupply a Philippines ship purposefully grounded two decades ago inside the Philippines exclusive economic zone.
The U.S. Because these actions unlawful and coercive, and has recommitted to defending its treaty ally including today at the white house. >> Any attack on Philippine aircraft, vessels, or armed forces in the south China sea would invoke our mutual defense.
Treaty. Nick: This was the first ever trilateral summit between the leaders of the U.S., Philippines, and Japan. The Philippines president Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. >> This is an opportunity to define the future we want and.
How we intend to achieve it together. Nick: Japanese prime minister fumio kishida. >> Japan, the U.S., and the Philippines are maritime nations connected by the pacific ocean and are natural partners. Nick: This week the three.
Countries along with Australia conducted their first ever joint naval drills. Yesterday, the U.S. And Japan announced their most and if it military cooperation upgrade in decades. It's an effort to deter China by creating an arc of military.
Alliances willing to confront beijing together. The U.S. Had already agreed with Japan and the Philippines to expand U.S. Presence on islands closer to Taiwan than they are to the capitals Manila and Tokyo. >> China's current stance and.
Military actions present unprecedented in the greatest strategic challenge. >> We are deeply concerned about the ongoing trade war. Nick: It continues to reverse the bilateral relations under the former president and embrace legacy of cooperation under.
Ferdinand Marcos senior, whose 66 her old son today is trying to fortify his nation against beijing. >> Beijing is — a dedication to a common purpose and unwavering commitment to the rules-based international order. Nick: Today's announcements also.
Included the first Philippines infrastructure investment designed to counter China's belt and road investments. To discuss this more I am joined I senior fellow at the washington-based think tank, the American enterprise institute. Thank you so much.
How significant are the announcements that we heard not only today from the U.S. In the Philippines, but yesterday from the U.S. And Japan? >> These are huge announcements. Both countries the United States is making real progress. The U.S. And Japan are.
Announcing 70 initiatives. But in my mind the most important our efforts to make sure the U.S. And Japan can cooperate together on both capability development. So, this is building new systems together, maintaining them together, but also advancing our.
Command and control facilities, ensuring that we can fight together more effectively if we end up in a contingency, especially one with China. In the Philippines you have a raft of announcements mostly focused on developments in the Philippines, which is critical.
For people there. Also on cooperating more closely with Manila on the south China sea. In both countries these are going to be well received and are real important progress. They signify important progress at a critical moment when China.
Is pressing hard in the region. Nick: When it comes to what the U.S. Gains from this militarily, what does this allow the U.S. Military to have in the region that it did not have a few years ago? Zack: At the moment in the next couple of months, probably.
Nothing. But over the long-term these are the foundational agreements that will allow the United States to be much more effective in how it operates in both the Philippines and Japan. In the Philippines, we have learned the U.S. Has to have a.
Sustainable presence, which means we have to have support from the people in the Philippines. We did not have that for part of our history, especially back any 1990's. These economic deals are going to have to show that the united.
States and others can bring real development to the Philippines alongside American forces that will help to protect Philippine interests. In Japan, we are seeing the U.S. Really build out its infrastructure. Not just the people and the.
Places we are operating from, but also the command infrastructure to make sure if we are in a crisis we can work mostly with our Japanese allies. This probably will not result in major changes to make — changes today or tomorrow, but in the years to come it will be really.
Important. Nick: You mentioned Chinese actions the coast guards have taken off the south China sea. U.S. Officials are worried this could become a crisis. Do you believe this could become a real u.s.-china crisis? Zack: I do.
I have been worried about second, Scholl for a long time. Second Thomas Scholl has been one of the most problematic in part because China and the Philippines have very different views on what the status quo should be and it is incredibly important to the U.S. Because.
The U.S. Has a mutual defense treaty with the Philippines which specifies an armed attack on a filipino public vessel would call into question the U.S. Treaty alliance guarantee a pre-and we have gotten very close to this in recent months with China using water cannons.
Against Philippine ships, with rantings happening almost on a weekly basis paid these are very serious incidents. You are seeing the Biden team step up and say we cannot accept this level of risk forever. That is why they are moving now to tie Biden and Marcos closely.
Together and trying to do it with other countries like Japan and Australia. Nick: I mentioned before the economic investments as part of today's announcement for the Philippines. You have mentioned them as well. Given the military progress we.
Have been discussing, has the u.s.-made as much economic progress in the region? Zack: The short answer is no. We have polling data out recently that says most countries in the region have been more convinced over the last year that the U.S. Is.
Losing the level of economic engagement they wanted to see. The economic efforts by the Biden team, especially something called in the pacific economic framework, have fallen flat in much of southeast Asia. This is probably the missing leg of the U.S. Strategy in the.
Region. The U.S. Is doing better in the Philippines than in the best of southeast Asia but there is a huge amount of work to do for the Biden team to convince counselees — convince southeast Asian leaders and the public the U.S. Will be there for the long.
Haul and continue to invest in the region the way it has for so long. Nick: Biden administration officials tell me they are trying to institutionalize days like today, set on the calendar into the future could things like summits, whether bilateral.
Or trilateral. How much do we know if Donald Trump would maintain these kinds of many lateral arrangements, as we call them, if he were to become president again? Zack: I think it really depends on the institution that we are talking about.
India, Japan, Australia, and the U.S., that seems to be one trump would be likely to continue to support. So too with the Australia, United States, U.K. Agreement. Some of these other trilaterals, especially if they involve countries trump is not.
Supportive of, and here I would look towards Europe, those could be harder. In Asia, the logic of these many lateral arrangements is quite clear. I would hope the trump administration would do as they did in the first term and.
Maintain these if trump is elected. Nick: Zack cooper, thank you very much. Zack: Thanks. ♪♪
