A US delegation led by Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell, the top American diplomat for Asia, forged an agreement with the Philippines on Thursday to set up working groups to study ways of increasing cooperation in “territorial defense and maritime security.”

The move is in step with American efforts to reassert its once dominant role in Asia, where China has emerged as a powerhouse. Several Southeast Asian countries dispute ownership of islands in the South China Sea with China. Campbell says the US plans to discuss greater cooperation with other Southeast Asian countries.