13 Aug Japan Provides New Vessels and Aircraft to the Philippines
On August 12, Friday, Japan has announced that they would provide two new patrol ships to the Philippines. This is to help the Philippines to patrol and guard its waters against China.
Japan being the top source of aid to the Philippines, would also lease their surveillance aircraft to help the under-equipped coast guards of the country.
As Japan pledged to the former President Benigno Aquino III, the new vessels and aircraft are on top of the 10 coast guard ships.
The uninhabited islets in the East China Sea are in dispute for a long time with Japan and China. While the South China Sea is argued by Manila and Beijing.
Deputy press secretary for Japan’s foreign ministry, Masato Ohtaka said to reporters in Manila, “We are talking about big-sized, 90-meter (295-foot) long vessels. We are also discussing the possibility of leasing aircraft designed for training. They are surveillance aircraft.”
Last month, a UN-backed tribunal rejected China’s claims to the South China Sea which is closer to the coasts of the Philippines and other Southeast Asian nations.
Last Thursday at Davao City, Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and President Rodrigo Duterte tackled about the new ships.
President Duterte shared his plans to Minister Kishida in approaching China following the tribunal’s decision.
President Duterte said, “I don’t want to start hostilities at this time of our lives and he said Japan would do the same. They just want dialogue. They do not want further incursions.”
Philippines and Japan have the same situation in dealing with China’s “claiming” of seas, said Perfecto Yasay, Philippine foreign secretary.
China chose to ignore the rule of law, but both leaders of Philippines and Japan urged Beijing to observe the ruling.
There are released images of China building military aircraft hangar on the islands of South China as provided by a US-based think tank.
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