LANGKAWI, Malaysia (Reuters) - The regional bloc ASEAN and China should make headway on a protracted code of conduct for the South China Sea by tackling thorny "milestone issues", including its scope and if it can be legally binding, the Philippines' top diplomat said on Saturday.

A Philippine security official says China is “pushing us to the wall” with growing aggression in the disputed South China Sea and warned that “all options are on the table” for Manila’s response, including new international lawsuits.

Philippines and Indonesia arming themselves with advanced supersonic missiles like India's BrahMoS is a worrying development for China, especially for its energy trade, around 80 percent of which passes through the strategic Malacca Strait,

The Philippine Navy on Friday said it held drills near a disputed South China Sea shoal, where a large Chinese vessel was spotted patrolling.

The Philippines and China agreed to seek common ground and find ways to cooperate despite their disagreements in the South China Sea, their foreign ministries said on Thursday, as heated rows persist over vessels deployed around disputed features.

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines accused China on Tuesday of intimidating its fishermen at a disputed South China Sea shoal, and normalizing an “illegal presence,” after Beijing sent its largest coast guard vessel into Manila’s maritime zone.

Japan, the Philippines and the United States vowed to further deepen cooperation under a trilateral arrangement in the face of rising tensions in Asia's waters, the three countries said following a call among their leaders.

MANILA (Reuters) -- The Philippines and the United States carried out joint maritime exercises for a fifth time in the South China Sea, Manila's armed forces said on Sunday, in a move that would likely irk China.

The Philippines has accused a giant Chinese coast guard vessel it dubbed as the “Monster” of maintaining an “illegal presence” in its exclusive economic zone as Beijing ramps up activities in the disputed South China Sea.

The Philippines has deployed air and sea assets of its military and coast guard in its exclusive economic zone to monitor China's largest coast guard vessel, calling the ship's presence an act of Chinese "intimidation,

Under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who took office in mid-2022, the Philippines has aggressively defended its territorial interests in the South China Sea, a key global trading route.

President-elect Donald Trump said Sunday that he plans to issue an executive order that would give TikTok’s China-based parent company more time to find an approved buyer before the popular video-sharing platform is subject to a permanent U.