Defence chiefs from U.S., Australia, Japan and Philippines vow to deepen cooperation

Defence chiefs from U.S., Australia, Japan, and the Philippines deepen cooperation amid concerns about China's South China Sea operations.

Defence chiefs from the U.S., Australia, Japan and the Philippines vowed to deepen their cooperation as they gathered on Thursday in Hawaii for their second-ever joint meeting amid concerns about China's operations in the South China Sea.

The meeting came after the four countries last month held their first joint naval exercises in the South China Sea, a major shipping route where Beijing has long-simmering territorial disputes with a number of Southeast Asian nations and has caused alarm with its recent assertiveness in the waters.

U.S. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters at a news conference after their discussion that the drills strengthened the ability of the nations to work together, build bonds among their forces and underscore their shared commitment to international law in the waterway.

Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles said the defence chiefs talked about increasing the tempo of their defence exercises.

“Today, the meetings that we have held represent a very significant message to the region and to the world about four democracies which are committed to the global rules-based order,” Mr. Marles said at the joint news conference with his counterparts.

Mr. Austin hosted the defence chiefs at the U.S. military's regional headquarters, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, at Camp H.M. Smith in the hills above Pearl Harbour.

Earlier in the day, Mr. Austin had separate bilateral meetings with Australia and Japan followed by a trilateral meeting with Australia and Japan.