President Biden hosted Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at the White House on Thursday, the first meeting of its kind, which comes as the U.S. moves to expand its military presence in the South China Sea to counter China. The Philippines has deepened military ties with both the United States and Japan in recent years as maritime confrontations with China have escalated. The trilateral summit at the White House resembled a “council of war,” according to Filipino scholar Walden Bello. He says the U.S. is the primary driver of tensions with China, building up its military footprint in the region as Pentagon officials openly muse about war, while China has focused primarily on its economic reach. “This militarization of the Pacific is very dangerous,” says Bello., This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form. AMY GOODMAN: President Biden hosted a first-of-its-kind trilateral summit at the White House Thursday with Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. The summit came as the U.S. moves to expand its military presence around the South China Sea. Launching the White House meeting with the three leaders, Biden affirmed that a 1950s-era,2024-04-12 12:10:00,Read More
2024-04-12