Counter China's maritime expansion! The defense ministers of the United States, Japan, Australia and the Philippines have decided to establish a defense coordination center in the Philippines

As China's military pressure in the Indo-Pacific region increases, the United States, Japan, Australia and the Philippines have agreed to establish a "coordination hub" in the Philippines to synchronize the actions of all parties and strengthen the Philippines' defense capabilities.

Bloomberg reported that this informal security alliance composed of four countries, sometimes called the "Squad," issued a joint statement on the 10th. The statement pointed out that the four countries decided to further coordinate defense investment, deepen policy consultations, and expand the scope, complexity and frequency of joint military exercises and other security activities.

This major security agreement was reached by U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and the other three defense ministers on the sidelines of the Regional Defense Summit held in Cebu, Philippines last month.

The joint statement stated: "Defense leaders of various countries reiterated their serious concerns about the situation in the East China Sea and South China Sea." The four defense ministers pledged to strengthen deterrence, expand interoperability among militaries, and enhance regional cooperation to ensure stability and security in the Indo-Pacific region.

The report pointed out that the background of this agreement comes at a time when tensions between Manila and Beijing continue to rise over the sovereignty dispute in the South China Sea. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is actively deepening defense relations with the United States, Japan and Australia in an attempt to narrow the huge military gap between the Philippines and China.

While issuing the aforementioned statement, U.S. President Trump is expected to arrive in Manila in a few days to attend the annual summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and will then travel to China to hold bilateral talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.