Philippines to boost defence, won't yield to China

MANILA (AP): President Benigno Aquino III has said that the Philippines won't back down from a South China Sea dispute with China and that his country's military would soon get dozens of new aircraft and ships for maritime defence.

Aquino announced during his annual state of the nation address on Monday that more than 40 military aircraft from two newly refurbished C-130 cargo planes to attack helicopters along with other weapons would be delivered in the next two years to bolster Philippine military muscle amid renewed territorial conflicts in the South China Sea.

A second US Coast Guard cutter would arrive soon from longtime ally, the United States. A refurbished Coast Guard cutter from the US was relaunched by the Philippine navy last year as its largest and most modern warship.

Washington has also provided USD 30 million to strengthen the Philippine military aside from US help in establishing a national coast watch center that would help protect the archipelago's 36,000-kilometer coastline, according to Aquino.

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