MANILA (Reuters) -Japan, the Philippines and america vowed to additional strengthen their ties beneath a trilateral association within the face of rising tensions in regional waters, Manila mentioned on Monday following a name amongst their leaders.

The three international locations “agreed to enhance and deepen economic, maritime and technology cooperation”, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s workplace mentioned in an announcement after a digital assembly with U.S. President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba that was held on Monday morning Asian time.

“I am confident that our three countries will continue to work together closely to sustain the gains that we have made in enhancing and deepening our ties,” Marcos mentioned throughout the assembly, in keeping with a readout from his communications workplace.

The decision adopted a first-of-its-kind summit assembly of Marcos, Biden after which Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Washington final April.

Marcos’ workplace mentioned Biden additionally counseled the Philippine chief for his diplomatic response “to China’s aggressive and coercive activities in the South China Sea”.

Biden was quoted as saying he’s “optimistic” his successor would see the worth of constant the partnership. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump will assume workplace subsequent Monday.

Japan and the Philippines are each concerned in separate territorial disputes with China within the East and South China Seas, respectively.

A 2016 ruling of a global arbitral tribunal voided Beijing’s sweeping claims for the South China Sea, saying they’d no foundation beneath worldwide regulation, a call China rejects.

Tensions between China and the Philippines have escalated previously two years over run-ins between their coast guards within the South China Sea.