Leaders from the US, Japan and the Philippines on Monday vowed cooperation in the "Indo-Pacific" region, which experts say further heightens the possibilities of bloc confrontation as US President Joe Biden's term ends soon.

They also raised concerns that the South China Sea is again being used as a tool to stoke regional tensions, raising uncertainty in the Asia-Pacific region.

Leaders of the United States, the Philippines and Japan held a virtual meeting on Monday, Asian time, and vowed to deepen the trilateral ties. According to a readout from the White House, the three leaders vowed to "advance our continuing cooperation in the 'Indo-Pacific'".

"Under the Biden administration's 'Indo-Pacific framework', the US has emphasized once again the trilateral coordination with Japan and the Philippines. However, the statement falls short of mentioning any concrete actions of the US on economic cooperation," Zhang Miao, an associate professor at the Research School for Southeast Asian Studies at Xiamen University, told China Daily.

"It presents another case of the US only prioritizing its own agenda at the expense of its partners, and reinforces the perception that the US continues to act as a 'self-serving player', leaving its allies to shoulder the costs and fallout of its self-centric foreign policies."

"Although the three parties announced their intention to further strengthen cooperation, it is widely known that Biden will be leaving office in a week, making the future of US-Japan-Philippines cooperation uncertain," Wang Zhen, a researcher of international politics at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of International Relations, told China Daily.

"Also, whether the legacy of Biden will be inherited by his successor, Donald Trump, hangs in the air," Wang said.

The White House statement, less than 100 words, said the three leaders discussed "China's dangerous and unlawful behavior in the South China Sea", while the Philippines news release, mentioned "China's aggressive and coercive activities in the South China Sea".

"Definitely, the Philippines' provocative and adventurous actions are backed by US support and encouragement. In recent years, the US has pursued a strategy of hegemony in the Asia-Pacific, attempting to curb China's expanding regional influence. The Philippines has become a front-runner in the US' efforts to create chaos and instability in the South China Sea," Wang said.

Strategic deterrence

Zhang echoed the views, saying, "The US uses the Philippines' strategic location to implement maritime containment and strategic deterrence against China, while Japan also seeks to expand its influence in Southeast Asia.

"The US and Japan, in supporting the Philippines' actions in the region, position the Philippines as a frontline force in countering China's presence in the region, thereby increasing the complexity and difficulty of China's efforts to safeguard its rights in the South China Sea," she said.

The online meeting follows the first trilateral summit hosted at the White House in April 2024, where a joint statement directly addressed China.

In response, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said: "China strongly opposes the practice of bloc politics by relevant countries. We firmly oppose any acts that stoke and drive up tensions and harm other countries' strategic security and interests. We are seriously against forming exclusive groupings in this region."

Japan and the Philippines "should not introduce bloc confrontation into this region, still less engage in trilateral cooperation at the expense of other countries' interests", Mao said.

The online meeting was postponed because of the deadly Los Angeles wildfires, Philippines' presidential spokesman Cesar Chavez said in a statement.

"Obviously, Biden has more urgent matters to deal with as public anger rages over the raging fire in California as the US has more pressing issues at home," Zhang said.

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