First US-Japan-Philippines Trilateral Summit in Washington

Biden hosted the first-ever trilateral summit with President Marcos and Japanese PM Kishida at the White House. Biden affirmed: 'Any attack on Philippine aircraft, vessels, or Armed Forces in the South China Sea would invoke our mutual defense treaty.' The three nations announced a new trilateral maritime patrol, intelligence sharing, and coast guard cooperation framework. China strongly protested the summit, accusing the US of 'forming small cliques.'