Japan, Philippines sign military pact to counter China

Japanese and Filipino leaders on Monday agreed to increase joint military exercises and make their militaries more compatible, according to Japan’s Foreign Ministry. The agreement aims to bolster security and support peace and stability in the region while countering recent aggressive Chinese activities, according to a statement by the agency. China decried the agreement, saying that the Asia-Pacific region is not a place for military blocs that encourage what it characterized as a Cold War mentality.

What is in this Japan-Philippines agreement? The agreement grants both countries’ military forces more freedom to operate and station weapons and troops within each other’s territories, according to a translated text of the document. Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa told Filipino President Ferdinand Marcos on Monday that Japan would also be providing economic support to the Philippines.

Dig deeper: Listen to Mary Reichard’s discussion with William Inboden on The World and Everything in It podcast about Russia and North Korea’s new security cooperation agreement.