Manila, June 10 -- The United States, Philippines, and Japan are seeking to deepen their maritime and security relations, including through a "trilateral alignment" of foreign assistance, the US Department of State said Wednesday.

The statement comes following the 2nd US-Philippines-Japan Trilateral Maritime Dialogue in Manila on June 8, where senior officials from the three countries affirmed the importance of the partnership in the "current situation" in the region.

"During the dialogue, the United States, Japan, and the Philippines discussed areas to deepen maritime cooperation in support of a shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific region. This included trilateral alignment of foreign assistance, joint operations and exercise...