The Philippines is winning the favor of neighboring countries for its feat against Beijing’s claim in most islets in the disputed South China Sea.
Following Australia’s gift to Philippines of aircraft carrier vessels, sources said Japan wants to give planes to the country for patrol purposes in the South China Sea.
Added, this would deepen Tokyo’s security ties with the Southeast Asian nation most at odds with Beijing over the disputed waterway.
According to reports from the sources, Japan was looking to offer three Beechcraft TC-90 King Air planes that could be fitted with basic surface and air surveillance radar.
Howver, Japan had yet to formally propose the planes as an alternative to more sophisticated Lockheed Martin P3-C aircraft that Manila wants to trach Chinese submarine activity.
The TC-90 aircraft are used by Japan to train military pilots.
Senior Philippine military and defense officials have not yet confirmed about the possible donation.
Unauthorized to speak before the media, one of the sources in Japan said:”The Philippines doesn’t have enough aircraft to conduct regular patrols over the South China Sea,”
Though Tokyo has no claims in the disputed South China Sea, officials said they are worried about Beijing’s construction of seven artificial islands in the waterway’s Spratly archipelago which is supposed to extended Chinese military reach into sea lanes to which much Japan’s ship-borne trade p(–foul word(s) removed–).
Japan’s Ministry of Defense spokesman said working level talks had been set up to explore possible cooperation in defense equipment with the Philippines however noted there was no “concrete plan” yet to give Manila the twin planes.
Though Philippine Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin was unaware of any Japanese plan for donating the aircrafts, top Philippine generals welcomed the growing security cooperation between Japan.
H/T: GMA News