The "routine" maritime domain awareness flight was jointly conducted by the Philippine fisheries bureau and coast guard over the Spratly’s Kalayaan Island Group "as part of its legitimate mandate to protect the country’s maritime jurisdiction and the livelihood of Filipino fishermen," coast guard spokesperson Jay Tarriela wrote on X.

Philippine authorities are closely monitoring maritime activity near Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal) as multiple Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessels conduct operations in contested waters.

China has carried out major upgrades to its electronic warfare and surveillance systems across its major bases in the Spratly Islands to strengthen its intelligence capabilities in the South China Sea,

New ambassador arrives in Manila as South China Sea tensions flare and the Philippines draws closer to Washington on defence.

Tokyo and Manila have reportedly held informal talks on a possible export of the Type 03 Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missile system. The same unit is also slated for deployment on a Japanese island near Taiwan - a move that has drawn Beijing’s ire.

Philippine and Taiwanese Coast Guard officials met in Manila this week to discuss potential maritime security cooperation activities.

The U.S. and the Philippines must act quickly to deter Beijing from advancing its plan to establish a marine preserve at Scarborough Shoal.

China’s recent claim that it seeks a “fair and just maritime order” in the South China Sea comes at a delicate moment for Southeast Asia.Malaysia is