China Condemns Japan-Philippines Security Pact as Threat
China has issued a forceful condemnation of the deepening security partnership between Japan and the Philippines, warning that their escalating military cooperation threatens regional peace and stability. The rebuke came after Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. concluded a four-day state visit to Tokyo on May 29, during which he and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi agreed to elevate bilateral ties to a “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership” and launch formal negotiations on a General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA).
Background
The Marcos visit, marking the 70th anniversary of Japan-Philippines diplomatic normalization, produced the most significant upgrade in bilateral security relations in decades. The Comprehensive Strategic Partnership represents the highest level of diplomatic ties short of a formal alliance and is the Philippines’ first such partnership. Alongside the GSOMIA negotiations, the two leaders announced the start of “delimitation negotiations” concerning their Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) and continental shelves in waters east of Taiwan, as reported by The Mainichi.
Japan also confirmed plans to transfer Abukuma-class destroyers to the Philippines, following Tokyo’s relaxation of arms export rules in April 2026 — the first such relaxation since World War II. The two sides signed additional agreements covering double taxation avoidance, agricultural cooperation, healthcare access, space development, artificial intelligence, energy security, and supply chain resilience, according to Rappler.
China’s Response
Beijing responded swiftly on two fronts. On May 29, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning declared the maritime delimitation talks “completely illegal and invalid,” stating that China “strongly deplores and firmly opposes” the unilateral negotiations. The following day, state-run Xinhua News Agency published a pointed commentary titled “Japan-Philippines Collusion Escalation Damages Regional Peace and Stability,” as published by Xinhua.
The commentary accused Japan of “breaking through post-war peaceful system constraints” and warned that the maritime talks infringed on China’s sovereign rights east of Taiwan. “Japan, as a defeated nation in WWII, should have deeply learned from history, abided by the ‘Peace Constitution,’ and adhered to ‘exclusive defense,’” the commentary stated. It further cautioned the Philippines against tying itself to “another country’s war chariot.”
A Rapidly Deepening Alliance
The latest developments represent the culmination of a dramatic acceleration in Japan-Philippines security ties. In July 2024, the two countries signed a Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) allowing mutual troop deployments, which took effect in September 2025. In April 2026, Japan deployed 1,400 Self-Defense Forces personnel to participate for the first time in the annual US-Philippines Balikatan military exercises, as noted by The Defense Post.
According to The Diplomat, the GSOMIA would establish a legal framework for exchanging classified military intelligence, similar to agreements Japan already has with the United States, South Korea, and Australia. The Philippines signed its own GSOMIA with Washington in November 2024.
Regional Implications
The timing of the deepening ties is significant. Both Japan and the Philippines are heavily dependent on Middle East oil imports and have been rattled by supply disruptions since the US-Israeli conflict with Iran erupted in late February 2026. The two countries agreed to cooperate on energy security, with Japan pledging support for Philippine oil stockpiling under its POWERR Asia initiative, a US$10 billion regional energy resilience fund, as detailed by The Straits Times.
Associate Professor Kei Koga from Nanyang Technological University told The Straits Times that the pace of cooperation reflects a shared assessment of a shifting strategic environment. “Given growing uncertainty over US commitment to regional security in the Indo-Pacific, Japan and the Philippines are strengthening defense cooperation to help fill potential gaps,” he said.
Analysis
China’s response employs a dual strategy of historical delegitimization and legal argumentation. By invoking Japan’s WWII aggression, Beijing seeks to portray Tokyo’s current military activities as illegitimate “re-militarization.” Simultaneously, China claims that the waters east of Taiwan fall under its EEZ and continental shelf rights under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
The maritime delimitation talks directly link Japan-Philippines cooperation to the Taiwan issue — a core Chinese red line. Taiwan reported over 100 Chinese vessels in regional waters in May 2026, underscoring the heightened tensions.
What’s Next
The GSOMIA negotiations are expected to proceed in the coming months, though no timeline for conclusion has been announced. The Philippines holds the rotating ASEAN presidency in 2026, and its deepening bilateral security ties with Japan may create tensions within the bloc, which traditionally emphasizes consensus and non-alignment. China’s explicit warnings to both countries serve as a diplomatic signal that countermeasures may follow, though none have been specified.