Six vessels would participate in the Balikatan exercise that involves a simulation of an armed recapture of an island near the South China Sea.

Washington should offer ‘alternatives to what our competitors are offering’, says Foreign Relations committee chair, referring to Beijing’s advances.

The call between Dong Jun and Lloyd Austin comes after a series of clashes between the Chinese coastguard and the Philippines, a US ally.

Some 4,600 Chinese nationals have been recorded to be living in the Cagayan area and enrolled in private universities in the city of Tuguegarao.

Firebrand ex-leader Rodrigo Duterte says his successor is a ‘crybaby’, with the two trading jibes over drug-use accusations and their opposing South China Sea stances. Will they ever bury the hatchet? ‘It’s complicated’.

The video call between Secretary Lloyd Austin and Admiral Dong Jun, who was appointed defence minister in December, is the latest sign of a thaw in US-China relations.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi will travel to the three countries this week as Beijing steps up diplomacy with Southeast Asia amid US rivalry.

The Philippine leader says the US has given its commitment to honour the Mutual Defence Treaty with Manila.

Daniel Kritenbrink and Sarah Beran are meeting Chinese officials to maintain ‘open lines of communication’, State Department says.

New deep-sea mobile operation can reportedly drill to a depth of 9,085 metres, a record for China as Beijing looks to rely less on imported oil and gas amid rising geopolitical uncertainties.

Several prominent Filipinos say the deal has effectively handed control of the Second Thomas Shoal to China.

AI-controlled weapon developed by Chinese scientists is up to 54 per cent more accurate than traditional water cannons.

The Philippine president said the cooperation agreement signed in Washington will change the dynamic in Asean and around the contested waterway.

Joint statement by the three leaders makes it clear the Washington summit was aimed at opposing China’s recent maritime activities.

Moscow is receiving drone and missile tech, satellite imagery and machine tools, aiding its biggest military build-up since the Soviet era, US officials say.

The relationship between the two Asian giants is already ‘complex and delicate’, despite their intertwined economies.

‘These meetings were not about any one other nation. This was about deepening and revitalising existing alliances and partnerships and strengthening some new ones.’

‘If China and Vietnam work well on this’, Manila would ‘not go too far to provoke’ Beijing, analyst says.

Former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte said Chinese President Xi Jinping strongly warned him against drilling for oil in the disputed waters.

Chinese foreign ministry says Beijing consistently committed to dialogue and consultation with Manila over the shoal.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr has expressed outrage over a “secret agreement” on the South China Sea that threatens the Philippines’ sovereignty.

‘China’s current external stance and military actions present … the greatest strategic challenge,’ Prime Minister Fumio Kishida tells joint session of Congress.

Comments follow US President’s meeting with Japanese leader, where they unveiled a series of deals to strengthen military and economic ties to counter China.

Beijing’s reaction followed a directive by the Philippines to probe the reported online recruitment of Filipino military personnel as ‘part-time consultants’.

Trilateral represents ‘new era’ of partnership, says US leader, producing security, economic and diplomatic initiatives in show of unity with Manila.

Central to recent run-ins between the two sides are the Scarborough and Second Thomas shoals located inside Manila’s EEZ, but which Beijing claims as its own.