S. China Sea and E. China Sea disputes

Disputes between China and its neighboring countries continued this year, straining relations even more and prompting an acceleration of their military buildups. The Philippines seized Ren’ai Reef and announced in July that it would spend about US$18 billion to upgrade the country’s military equipment over the next five years. It bought two Maestrale-class frigates from the Italy and acquired its second Hamilton-class cutter from the U.S., just two years after its first. It also plans to buy 12 FA-50 fighter jets from South Korea.

Meanwhile, since Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe took office, his government has refused to apologize to its Asian neighbors and tried to revise the country’s pacifist constitution. Despite strong opposition, Abe continued the tradition of Japanese officials paying a visit to the Yasukuni Shrine, which commemorates those killed in war, on Dec. 26. After China announced the enlargement of its Air Defense Identification Zone in the East China Sea in December, Japan said it would beef up its national security strategy and defense guidelines. Over the next five years, Japan plans to buy three drones, 28 F-35A stealth fighters, 17 Osprey aircraft, 52 amphibious vehicles and five destroyers, including two Aegis anti-ballistic missile systems, to make a total of eight Aegis destroyers in its fleet.