The Philippine coast guard says 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,

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.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio criticized Beijing’s “dangerous and destabilizing” actions in the South China Sea in his early days in office, as he discussed the contested waterway with counterparts from the Philippines and Indonesia.

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,

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.

Chinese activity around Taiwan has been steadily increasing, with numerous incursions into its Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ). The median line, once regarded as an unofficial boundary, has been crossed more frequently by Chinese aircraft, signalling a shift in Beijing's stance toward Taiwan.