MANILA - The government of China has donated P1 billion worth of equipment to the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Department of National Defense (DND) said.

According to the agency, the initial batch of deliveries arrived on Jan. 16 this year.

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The donations include rescue and relief equipment, drone systems, detectors, water purification vehicles, ambulances, firetrucks, and x-ray machines.

There were also Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) robots, bomb disposal suits and transport vehicles, and engineering equipment such as backhoes, dump trucks, forklifts, and earthmovers.

"The equipment will be formally turned over to the DND and AFP next month," the statement read.

"A second batch worth RMB 54 million will be delivered on a later date."

Manila and Beijing's maritime spat flared again last year after more than 200 Chinese boats were spotted in the West Philippine Sea.

Beijing maintains a constant presence of coastguard and fishing boats in the international waterway, within which is the West Philippine Sea, to assert its claim of sovereignty, including hundreds in the Spratly islands, where the country, Brunei, Taiwan, Vietnam and Malaysia also have claims.

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President Rodrigo Duterte is vocal about improving Philippines' ties with China.

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