Japan on Friday announced that it would provide two patrol vessels and a surveillance aircraft to the Philippines.

The announcement was made by Masato Ohtaka, a senior official of Japan's foreign affairs ministry, during his ongoing Manila trip.

"We are talking about big-sized, 90-meter (295-foot) long vessels. We are also discussing the possibility of leasing aircraft designed for training. They are surveillance aircraft," Ohtaka said.

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The Philippines has been engaged in a bitter maritime dispute with China over the South China Sea while Japan is also facing similar a situation with China in the East China Sea.

Japan's Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida on Thursday met with his Filippino counterpart Sec. Perfecto Yasay Jr. Kishida, during the meeting, promised that Japan is working to deliver 10 petrol vessels to Manila as agreed recently.

The two leaders urged China to respect maritime order based on the rule of law' for regional stability and prosperity. "We invoke and urge China to make sure that maritime security and the rule of law must completely and uncompromisingly respected," Yasay said after the meeting.

The Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration, in its long pending verdict on July 12, rejected China's claims over disputed South China Sea saying that the country has no legal authority to claim the contested territory. Beijing has strongly opposed the verdict. The Asian power continues to build military facilities in several contested territories in the South China Sea, resulting in deteriorating ties with claimants countries like Vietnam, Taiwan, and Philippines. 

TagsJapan, china, Philippines, Naval Ships, South China Sea