Manila, Philippines—— Japan and the Philippines will convey to President-elect Donald Trump the urgent need for the United States to remain committed to helping preserve the rule of law in Asia where security concerns are "growing," Japan's top diplomat said on Wednesday.

The United States, Japan and the Philippines have been building an alliance since last year under outgoing President Joe Biden to counter China's increasingly aggressive actions in the disputed South and East China Seas. Trump’s “America First” foreign policy thrust has raised concerns about the scale and depth of U.S. commitments to the region during his new term.

"We will send a message to the next U.S. administration that America's constructive commitment in the region is also important to the United States itself," Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya told a news conference in Manila with his Philippine counterpart Enrique Manalo. Very important."

Iwaya said he planned to attend Trump's Jan. 20 inauguration as one of Washington's closest treaty allies in Asia, along with the Philippines.

"Amidst the increasingly severe strategic environment in the region, Japan attaches great importance to bilateral cooperation, as well as maintaining and strengthening trilateral cooperation between Japan, the Philippines and the United States," Iwaya said.

A worrying surge in confrontations between Chinese and Philippine coast guard and other forces along the busy sea lane has raised concerns that tensions could seriously escalate, with the United States repeatedly warning of an attack by Philippine forces. It has an obligation to help defend the Philippines. Suffering armed attacks in the South China Sea.

"The South China Sea issue is a legitimate concern of the international community because it is directly related to regional peace and stability," Iwaya said. "Japan strongly opposes any attempt to unilaterally change the status quo or aggravate regional tensions by force. We strongly demand the easing of tensions."

Jonathan Malaya, assistant director-general of the National Security Council, the Philippines' top government agency, said on Tuesday that China was "backing us into a corner" and warned that "all options are on the table" for Manila's response, including new measures. International Litigation.

The Philippine Coast Guard said a large Chinese Coast Guard ship patrolled the disputed Scarborough Shoal in recent days before sailing as close as 77 nautical miles (143 kilometers) to the northwest coast of the Philippines on Tuesday.

A Chinese official said in Beijing that China's sovereignty in the South China Sea is undisputed and coast guard patrols are legal and reasonable.

The Chinese government has repeatedly accused the Philippines and other claimants including Vietnam and Malaysia of violating what it calls "undisputed" Chinese territorial waters.

Manalo told reporters that the Philippines would present China's latest actions at a meeting of Chinese and Filipino diplomats in Xiamen, China, on Thursday.

The rival claimants have been holding talks, known as bilateral consultation mechanisms. Over the years, efforts have been made to prevent the dispute from deteriorating into a major armed conflict.