Philippines-Japan defense deal undermines regional stability
The Philippines and Japan recently signed the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement, which allows their armed forces to exchange supplies and services, as both sides seek to deepen security cooperation amid rising regional tensions.
Chen Hong, executive director of the Asia Pacific Studies Center at East China Normal University in Shanghai, said the signing of a defense deal and the intensifying military cooperation between Japan and the Philippines represent risky steps that fuel bloc confrontation and undermine peace and stability in the region.
"Such military maneuvers could trigger a chain reaction of arms races and military confrontation, significantly increasing the risk of miscalculation and unintended escalation," he said.
