(ZEROHEDGE) – The U.S., Japan, and the Philippines have inked an agreement to launch joint naval patrols in the South China Sea later this year in what’s being seen as a major initiative to counter China in the region, and as Chinese and Philippine coast guard boats have recently been engaged in tense stand-offs over disputed waters.
The patrols are expected to be formally announced in April during the first ever trilateral summit of President Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and Philippine President Ferdinand Marco Jr.
A White House announcement previewing the summit said the three leaders will discuss ways to “further peace and security in the Indo-Pacific.”