Experts however, warn that Manila’s strategy of having several warships patrolling at once could strain resources and leave the navy vulnerable to targeted attacks.

The Philippines will soon decide on an international platform to sue China for alleged damage to the marine environment, its justice minister said, as it pursues a second high-profile legal challenge against Beijing over the South China Sea.

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, including new international lawsuits.

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.

China has pushed Philippines “to the wall” leaving it with only drastic options to stop intimidation, official adds.

The United States is not a party to the issue of the South China Sea and has no right to interfere in maritime issues between China and the Philippines, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said on Thursday after Washington and Manila made unwarranted remarks against Beijing.

Beijing and Manila have agreed to continue talks on settling their territorial differences despite Philippine protests about the presence of a Chinese "monster ship" near the contested Scarborough Shoal.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized the United States' defense commitment to the Philippines in a conversation with Philippine Foreign Minister Enrique Manalo, discussing China's destabilizing actions in the South China Sea and the strengthening of economic and security cooperation within the region.

The newly installed Trump administration has quickly reaffirmed America’s strong support for the Philippines in the face of an increasingly aggressive China in the disputed South China Sea, despite doubts to the contrary voiced by some observers.

Analysts say the agreement 'commits both states to a status quo' and urge the Philippines to hold firm on its South China Sea stance In a rare moment of accord amid their simmering feud over the South China Sea,

The Philippines has launched a comic book titled 'The Stories of Teacher Jun' to challenge China's narratives over maritime rights in the South China Sea. The book aims to educate Filipinos about their sovereign rights and has been criticized by China as political manipulation.