World 'watching' Japan's next move

Patrol planes

Also on Thursday, the Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of National Defense reacted to reports of Japan supplying patrol planes to the Philippines that would be used to monitor activities in the South China Sea.

Reuters cited four anonymous sources as saying that Tokyo wants to provide the Philippines with three Beechcraft TC90 King Air planes equipped with surface and air surveillance radar, though Manila reportedly preferred a more advanced aircraft, the LockheedMartinP3C, which may have the capability to track China's submarine activity.

The US had asked Japan to provide training programs and maintenance for any planes it gives the Philippines, a US military source told Reuters.

The information office of the Ministry of National Defense told China Daily in a written response, "China hopes that the military cooperation by relevant countries contributes to the peace and stabilization of the region, not the contrary."

The spokesperson's office of the Foreign Ministry stated that China hopes to see the parties involved do more to contribute to "improving mutual trust among countries in the region".

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