TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Amid ongoing territorial disputes between the Philippines and China in the South China Sea, the Philippines will bolster its territorial defenses with the addition of five new patrol ships for the Philippines Coast Guard, it was announced on Friday (May 17). 

Japan will loan the Philippines US$413 million for the purchase of five 97-meter Multi-Role Response Vessels produced in Japan, reported AFP. Japan will also provide additional funding to pay for the necessary support facilities. 

The Philippines announced the acquisition of the vessels, which were made in Japan, on Friday in a statement that said they will be used in “maritime operations to address transnational crimes.” The Philippines Coast Guard currently possesses only two of the Multi-Role Response Vessels, which are manufactured by the Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Company. 

Over the past year, diplomatic relations between Beijing and Manila have deteriorated as the number of confrontations between coast guard vessels and private fishing boats have increased in the South China Sea. A Philippine military installation on the Scarborough Shoal has been a flashpoint for conflict in recent months. 

International analysts have counseled that the Philippines current fleet of coast guard and navy vessels is inadequate to safeguard its territory. As a major benefactor for development assistance, Japan is stepping up to boost the Philippine’s defensive capabilities and ensure regional stability. 

The AFP reports that Tokyo and Manila are negotiating a new defense agreement that will allow the countries to deploy troops in each other’s territory, in a similar arrangement to the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement that the Philippines has with the U.S.