Trump’s transactional diplomacy risks complicating the hedging of stakeholders from Philippines to Vietnam, and adding unpredictability for China.

Latest discussions came days after the Philippines accused China of encroaching on its exclusive economic zone near Scarborough Shoal.

The Philippines said it expressed "serious concern” over the presence of Chinese vessels near its shores during talks with China on their South China Sea dispute.

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.

The Philippines used its latest maritime talks with China to directly condemn the rotating fleet of Chinese Coast Guard vessels patrolling unusually close to Zambales since early January.

The Philippines has threatened international lawsuits against China for the action, which it says is another sign of the country's ongoing aggression in the area.

Tensions between Beijing and Manila have intensified in recent months concerning the South China Sea, a region spanning 3.5 million square kilometers (1.35 million square miles) through which an estimated $11.3 billion in global trade passes annually, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Officials from the Philippines and China have held talks on the disputed South China Sea. Manila expressed "serious concern" over Beijing's deployment of its largest coast guard ship in Philippine waters.

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, incl

Manila would be able to raise South China Sea-related issues that could 'embarrass' Beijing and nudge it into a compromise, analysts say A seat on the UN Security Council would give the Philippines its highest-profile platform yet to confront Beijing over its expansive claims in the South China Sea.

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,