IN MOVES LIKELY TO ANTAGONIZE BEIJING, THE COASTGUARDS OF JAPAN AND THE PHILIPPINES TOOK PART IN SIMULATED RESCUE AND MEDICAL RESPONSE EXERCISE OFF MANILA BAY PART OF WHAT THE TWO COUNTRIES HAVE CALLED EFFORTS TO IMPROVE MARITIME SECURITY AND COMBAT CRIME AND PIRACY.
ABOUT 15 COASTGUARD PERSONNERL FROM PHILIPPINE COAST GUARD AND 50 FROM THE JAPANESE COAST GUARD HELD SIMULATED RESCUE EXERCISES AIMED AT COMBATING PIRACY AND ARMED ROBBERIES AT SEA
PHILIPPINE COASTGUARD SPOKESPERSON ARMAND BALILO TOLD JOURNALISTS THE EXERCISE WAS NOT PART OF TERRITORIAL DISPUTES IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA.
THIS YEAR COULD SEE TOKYO BEGIN TO DELIVER EQUIPMENT TO MANILA, INCLUDING PATROL VESSELS AS WELL AS SURVEILLANCE AIRCRAFT .
JAPAN AND CHINA ARE INVOLVED IN A SEPARATE TERRITORIAL DISPUTE IN THE EAST CHINA SEA AND BEIJING HAS WARNED TOKYO AGAINST MEDDLING IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA DISPUTE.
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