China has deployed its coast guard on weekslong patrols inside a border area disputed by South Korea, in what analysts say is a calculated move to gradually normalize effective control and gain leverage over the U.

The Philippines shares a common cause with Japan of opposing any unilateral attempt to reshape the global order, its defence minister said on Monday.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., right, meets Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani during a courtesy visit at the Malacanang presidential palace in Manila, Philippines, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025.

The Philippine and Japanese governments reassured each other of their robust security alliance when the two countries' defense secretaries met in Manila

Japan and the Philippines agreed on Monday to further deepen defense ties in the face of an “increasingly severe” security environment in the Indo-Pacific region, Japanese defense minister Gen Nakatani said on Monday.

The two sides also agreed to establish a “strategic dialogue” between the Self-Defense Forces and the Philippine Armed Forces to deepen operational collaboration.