Posted on 06/27/2013 7:12:40 PM PDT by TexGrill
MANILA - Japan pledged 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 Defense 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 defense of remote islands... the defense 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.
Philippine Defense 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 defense relations stronger," Gazmin said.
Neither side offered specifics but Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario said in February his country was expecting to get 10 new Japanese patrol boats within 18 months.
The Japanese military brutally occupied the Philippines during World War II, but the two countries have since grown closer due to trade and investment, and more recently, through China's assertiveness.
Del Rosario told the Financial Times newspaper in December that a rearmed Japan would help the region counter-balance China.
Onodera and Gazmin also on Thursday welcomed an increased military presence in Asia by their mutual ally, the United States.
(Excerpt) Read more at abs-cbnnews.com ...
Great Sushiman. Take care.
We lost almost 100,000 KIA in WW-III. It wasn’t cold.
The Chinese PLA is behaving much like the IJN and IJA of
the late 19th century. The japanese militarists were fed by the Japanese economy which just took off during the second great industrial revolution.
But the japanese militarists didn’t gain the upper hand in the japanese government until they became successful at war.
Right now the chinese communist party CPC holds the upper hand in the Chinese Government. But if the People liberation army becomes successful at war—they will get the upper hand in the Chinese government. Then the PLA will bring more war as did the Japanese miliarists. Why? Because that’s what they do.
There for it is in the greatest interests of all nations to thwart the Chinese militarists in their early stages
The japanese strategists understand this — based on their own history. I think many others do as well.
I’m not sure where you’re going there. Explain a bit.
I'm thinking that "Atrocious" would define it.
This world has been subject to similar atrocities and the left closed it's eyes to them and the victims.
This would not be something such people could ignore.
Thank you for the insight cKilmer. Something to think about...
Sounds reasoned.
Take it easy, bro. I hope nothing happens as I’m following Attack on Titan on MBS LOL
Right now, China is carrying a big stick. Collectively, all the other players in the region would get their asses kicked by China. The only thing stopping them is the USA. Given our current leadership, however, if I were sitting in the malaca#nyang (sp) (Philippine White House), I would be a bit concerned.
Didn’t China have a hard time with Vietnam some years back?
I have tended to agree with you, but I’m not convinced of it.
American companies need to dis-invest from China, and bring US jobs home again.
The Red Chinese were providing logistical support to the North Vietnamese during their war against us. There were rumors of Chinese pilots also. After the war, the North Vietnamese and Red China resumed their hostilities toward each other, which had been going on for centuries.
Thanks Ax. I was aware of that. I was referencing skirmishes about five to ten years ago.
I think I remember reading about that. You’ve got to hand it to the Vietamese. They’ve got some real cojones to stand up to China.
I didn’t realize it was back in 1979. Could have sworn there were tensions about five to ten years back, but I must have been wrong. Check out slide show at this link, if you like.
It’s interesting and gives you a feel for what took place.
http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1879849,00.html
Here’s a little more info, addresses why a war between them is inevitable.
How ironic would this be? The U.S. coming to Hanoi’s assistance in a contre-temps with Beijing, who owns us lock, stock and barrel. Was that the Paracel Islands issue?
I’m not sure what the exact driver of this was. It may have been. Strange bed-fellows indeed.
Didn’t the Japanese have a pirate base in the Philippines around 1500?
Don’t be surprised if South Korea gets involved, too. South Korea and the Philippines have been the best of friends since both became independent in the 1940s.
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