Experts say that Japan and Philippines' defense pact aims to counter China's aggression in the region.

• The "Reciprocal Access Agreement" enables the exchange of military forces between Japan and the Philippines for training and joint military exercises.
• The defense pact aims to counter China's aggression in the region and establish deterrence beyond relying solely on the U.S., according to experts.
• Both countries' officials have committed to closer collaboration on economic, cultural, and diplomatic issues, including regional and global conflict resolution and technological advancements.

On Monday, Japan and the Philippines signed a defense pact aimed at countering China's growing aggression in the region and establishing a deterrence that goes beyond relying on the U.S., according to experts.

The "Reciprocal Access Agreement" facilitates the exchange of armed forces for training and joint military exercises between Tokyo and Manila amid tensions between the Philippines and China over the Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea.

In Manila, the deal was signed by Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa, with President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. present.

Teodoro stated at a joint briefing after the RAA ceremony that the partnership between the Philippines and Japan had been "elevated to the next level," as reported by Philippine state media.

He stated that this achievement marks another significant step in our collective effort to establish a rules-based international system that promotes peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific, with a particular focus on our region.

Japan will cooperate with the Philippines by exchanging defense equipment and technology, including air and coastal surveillance radar, and will build upon its Official Security Assistance initiative to provide defense assistance to "like-minded countries."

According to Rahman Yaacob, a research fellow in the Southeast Asia Program at the Lowy Institute, the elephant in the room is China, and this is the point of strategic convergence between the Philippines and Japan.

The RAA is Japan's second agreement with an Asia-Pacific country, following Australia in 2022. The treaty must be ratified by the legislative bodies of the Philippines and Japan before it takes effect.

The signing of the RAA was considered a significant accomplishment by Kamikawa, as it helped to enhance security and defense cooperation between the two countries.

Yaacob stated that both countries have territorial disputes with China in their maritime regions and are encountering increasingly assertive and aggressive Chinese naval forces.

Both Japan and the Philippines have been strengthening their ties with the U.S. in response to tensions with China. In a joint statement in April, the White House pledged to defend both allies "ironcladly."

According to Muhammad Faizal, a research fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, U.S. allies in the region are seeking to take a more active role in regional defense and security, rather than solely relying on the U.S. for deterrence.

He stated that they understand that relying solely on the U.S.-led regional security framework to maintain a balance of power against China is no longer feasible as the U.S. becomes increasingly preoccupied with domestic issues and other regional conflicts.

For decades, China and Japan have clashed over islands in the East China Sea, with Japanese officials alleging that Chinese coast guard ships have frequently trespassed in their territorial waters this year, as per media accounts.

In recent months, there have been a series of escalating clashes between Chinese and Philippine coast guard and navy ships in the South China Sea.

Beijing claims ownership of almost the entire South China Sea, which is a vital regional trade passage under President Xi Jinping's "nine-dash" line declaration.

Philippine officials reported that Chinese Coast Guards seized and damaged two Philippine ships and injured military personnel on a resupply run to an outpost on the disputed Second Thomas Shoal in the latest escalation.

Beijing's actions were condemned by Japan and the U.S., with China arguing it was protecting its sovereignty.

The Japanese and Philippine partnership was likely established with Taiwan, a self-governing island and U.S. ally that Beijing views as its territory, in mind.

Richard Heydarian, a policy adviser and senior lecturer of international affairs at the University of the Philippines, stated that both countries are concerned about the potential Chinese kinetic action and invasion of Taiwan and want to coordinate on this front.

Despite not yet having a full-fledged military alliance, the signal to China is clear: the U.S. is strengthening its ties with regional allies, and those allies are also looking to deepen their security relationships.

On Monday, a Chinese spokesperson stated that cooperation between countries should not endanger regional peace or involve any third parties in response to the RAA.

"The Asia-Pacific region does not require any military alliances that provoke conflict or a new Cold War, according to him. He emphasized that any actions that undermine regional unity will be met with "vigilance and opposition.""