China has territorial disputes with the Philippines, which has signed a security treaty with Washington that comes with mutual defense commitments.

China is on a mission to become the world’s dominant superpower by 2049. That goal is driving a desire to build a world-class navy that can challenge the United States. To make it even stronger, according to Stephen Chen of the South China Morning Post,

Ferdinand Marcos Jr. offered to remove a U.S. missile system from the Philippines if China halts what he called 'aggressive and coercive behavior' in the South China Sea.

China's coast guard continues its weeklong presence near the Philippines' Zambales Province in what one analyst calls "a new level of sustained intensity."

The South China Sea is a complex geopolitical issue involving territorial disputes, military tensions, and conflicting claims by littoral countries including China. Analysts say as the waterway is one of Beijing’s core interests, it is also listed as “highly sensitive” by censors.

An expert told Newsweek China is hostile due to frustration at the presence of the U.S. Typhon missile system in the Philippines.

One fictional student in the 40-page comic book describes China as a bully and another says Beijing's "behavior is outrageous."

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has proposed returning US Typhon missiles stationed in the Philippines if China ceases its aggressive actions in the South China Sea, Taiwan News reported. Speaking ahead of a meeting with US President Donald Trump,

Philippine security officials said Thursday they took into custody five more Chinese spies, following the arrest of a compatriot for espionage this month.

The Philippines said on Saturday it has suspended a scientific survey in the South China Sea after two of its fisheries vessels faced "harassment" and aggressive behaviour from China's coast guard and navy.

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,

Four major developments shaped the security environment in the South China Sea in 2024: (1) increased Chinese coercion against Philippine naval vessels and aircraft; (2) adoption of a new maritime defense strategy by the Philippines;