Japan, the US, Australia and the Philippines held their first defense ministers meeting in June in Singapore, seeking to strengthen security cooperation to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific.
China, which claims sovereignty over nearly all of the South China Sea, is rapidly building artificial islands with military infrastructure in the waters, which are home to some of the world’s busiest shipping lanes.
In February, the Chinese coast guard pointed a military-grade laser at a Philippine patrol boat in waters with Second Thomas Shoal.
