A flurry of naval drills surrounding the Philippines involving the United States and its partners has prompted complaints from Beijing, which claims the entire South China Sea and accuses Manila of colluding with others to destabilize the region.

Recent naval drills in the Philippines involving the US, Japan, Australia, and the Philippines have drawn criticism from China, which claims the entir

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reaffirmed Washington’s “ironclad” commitment to a mutual defense treaty with the Philippines during a call with his counterpart in Manila in the face of geopolitical tensions in South China Sea.

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth reaffirmed Washington’s “ironclad” commitment to a mutual defense treaty with the Philippines during a call with his counterpart in Manila in the face of geopolitical tensions in the South China Sea.

The air forces of the Philippines and the US held joint patrols over the South China Sea on Tuesday (Feb 4), a move that angered China, which also conducted a "routine patrol" over a disputed shoal. The Philippines and the US have ramped up security arrangements under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.