TOKYO (Sputnik) — Japan's Ise helicopter carrier entered Subic Bay on the Philippine island of Luzon to show the growing level of cooperation between the two Asian nations and to balance Chinese military efforts in the region, according to The Tokyo Shimbun newspaper.
Earlier this month, two Japanese warships, accompanied by a submarine, visited Subic Bay.
China has a number of ongoing maritime disputes with other Asia-Pacific states, particularly territorial claims over a number of islands located in the South China Sea. In order to strengthen its positions, Beijing has initiated the construction of military infrastructure in the region. Among the most prominent regional disputes are the Paracel Islands controlled by Beijing, while being claimed by Taipei and Hanoi, and the Spratly Islands contested by China, Taiwan, the Philippines, Vietnam and Malaysia.
