Japan pledged on Thursday to help the Philippines defend its “remote islands”, as both governments expressed concern over China’s robust moves to stake its claims to disputed Asian waters.
Japanese Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera said China’s contentious claim to nearly all of the South China Sea and its territorial dispute with Japan in the East China Sea were discussed during top-level talks in Manila.
“We agreed that we will further co-operate in terms of the defence of remote islands... the defence of territorial seas as well as protection of maritime interests,” Onodera told a joint news conference.
“We face a very similar situation in the East China Sea of Japan. The Japan side is very concerned that this kind of situation in the South China Sea could affect the situation in the East China Sea,” he said, speaking through an interpreter.
We will further co-operate in terms of the defence of remote islands
Philippine Defence Secretary Voltaire Gazmin welcomed Japan’s offer of support for its poorly resourced military.
“We have agreed to continue our exchanges of information, exchanges of technology to help each other to make our defence relations stronger,” Gazmin said.