Chinese coast guard ships and a Chinese navy helicopter harassed a group of Philippine fisheries vessels conducting a scientific survey in a hotly disputed area of the South China Sea, forcing them to cancel the operation,

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reaffirmed Washington's commitment to Manila and condemned Beijing for its "dangerous and destabilising" actions in the Sea, in his first phone call with Philippine Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo.

Foreign Affairs Minister Sugiono and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio exchanged views on maritime security in the South China Sea.

Secretary of State Rubio spoke with China's Director of the CCP Central Foreign Affairs Commission and Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

The United States under the administration of newly-inaugurated President Donald Trump affirmed its “ironclad commitment” to the Philippines amid the “dangerous” actions of China in the South China Sea.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed concern about Beijing’s coercive behavior against Taiwan and aggression in the South China Sea in his first formal call with Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday,

The Philippines has launched a comic book to counter what the country says is China’s disinformation campaign to push its expansive territorial claims in the South China Sea.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US remained committed to the Philippines' defense as tensions simmer with Beijing in the South China Sea. | TAG24

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Wang told Rubio that both China and US should implement the “important consensus” reached between the Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Trump, according to a Chinese government statement.

Chinese Coast Guard and navy harass Philippine vessels in disputed South China Sea, forcing survey cancellation. US commitment to Philippines.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in his first call with his Chinese counterpart, voiced "serious concern" Friday over Beijing's "coercive" moves on Taiwan and in the South China Sea, the State Department said.