China claims most of the South China Sea (SCS) , which more than $5 trillion of trade moves through annuallyJapanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Tuesday agreed to provide two large-sized patrol ships and lend up to five used surveillance aircraft to the Philippines, a Japanese government spokesman said, with both countries locked in territorial disputes with China. Abe and Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte agreed in Vientiane to strengthen cooperation to ensure a peaceful resolution of the South China Sea (SCS) dispute, Japanese Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Koichi Hagiuda said. China claims most of the South China Sea, through which more than $5 trillion of trade moves annually. Japan's ties with China has been marred by a long-running territorial spat over a group of small islets in the East China Sea. Japan has already agreed to provide 10 smaller-sized patrol ships to the Philippines.

Source: dna September 06, 2016 09:11 UTC