China’s moves to assert its territorial claims in the South China Sea are giving fresh impetus to a Japanese push to play a bigger role in regional security, adding to the growing strains between the two Asian rivals.
Japan said this week it is exploring whether it can accelerate a proposal to supply patrol boats for Vietnam, which is embroiled in a tense standoff at sea with China after Beijing moved an oil rig into disputed waters. In a similar deal, Japan agreed in December to lend 18.7 billion yen ($183 million) to the Philippines to purchase 10 Japanese-made boats.
The vessels are a tangible sign of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s effort to deepen ties with Southeast Asia in the face of China’s expanding maritime ambitions. He is likely to stress Japan’s commitment to regional stability in a speech to Asia-Pacific defense ministers in Singapore on Friday night.
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Associated Press via CHINA US Focus http://ift.tt/1pB3ZhY
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