US-Japan alliance expands with Philippines trilateral partnership

The recent US-Japan alliance bilateral summit marked a significant milestone in strengthening ties between the two nations. President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Kishida Fumio unveiled over 70 deliverables spanning defense, space, education, and technology. Additionally, a new trilateral partnership with the Philippines was initiated, expanding the network of minilateral alliances that now includes AUKUS, the Trilateral Strategic Dialogue, the US-Japan-UK naval trilateral, and the US-Japan-South Korea trilateral, among others.

The US-Japan-Philippines trilateral is seen as a crucial development, especially in light of Chinese maritime activities near Manila's Second Thomas Shoal. This new alliance raises questions about the future of the region's security architecture, as the current approach of building minilateral partnerships on top of the traditional 'hub-and-spokes' system faces challenges.

One concern is the strain on US and Japanese diplomats and defense officials, who are already heavily involved in multiple groupings. The evolving threat landscape in the region since the post-Cold War era also underscores the need to reassess the effectiveness of existing trilaterals. Established in 1994 to address the North Korean nuclear crisis, these alliances must adapt to meet contemporary security challenges.