Japan and the Philippines are strengthening their defence ties amid growing concerns over China’s aggressive actions in the region. In a meeting in Manila today, Japanese Defence Minister General Nakatani and Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro agreed to deepen their military cooperation. The discussions focused on expanding joint training, port visits, and sharing military information. Nakatani also announced plans to begin talks on protecting shared military intelligence. Both countries, key allies of the United States, have been vocal critics of China’s actions in the South China Sea and East China Sea.
Japan has a long-standing territorial dispute with China over islands in the East China Sea. It has doubled its defence spending and strengthened security partnerships with countries like Australia and the United Kingdom. On the other hand, Chinese and Philippine coast guard and navy ships have had a series of increasingly hostile confrontations in the South China Sea over the past two years.
