The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said it issued another radio challenge on Saturday against China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel 5901 or the “monster ship” which has been operating unlawfully off Zambales coastline.

The Philippine Navy on Friday said it held drills near a disputed South China Sea shoal, where a large Chinese vessel was spotted patrolling.

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines accused China on Tuesday of intimidating its fishermen at a disputed South China Sea shoal, and normalizing an “illegal presence,” after Beijing sent its largest coast guard vessel into Manila’s maritime zone.

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.

Vantage with Palki Sharma The Philippines has accused a massive Chinese coast guard vessel, dubbed the “Monster,” of illegally entering its exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea. The 12,000-ton vessel,

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.

Chinese side made solemn representations over the recent infringement and provocative activities of the Philippine side in the South China Sea and hyping China-Philippine disputes relating to the South China Sea during the Tenth Meeting of the China and Philippines Bilateral Consultation Mechanism on the South China Sea,

Divorce remains illegal in Catholic-majority Philippines, the only place outside the Vatican where it is outlawed, contrary to claims that surfaced on Facebook and TikTok in January 2025. The posts misrepresented footage that showed the Southeast Asian archipelago's lower house of Congress approving a divorce bill in May 2024.

The Philippine navy said on Friday its ships were holding drills near a contested shoal in the South China Sea, a day after Manila and Beijing agreed to seek common ground and find ways to cooperate despite ongoing disputes.

“Over the course of next year, Putin will likely face mounting domestic problems. Russia’s central bank has forecast economic growth of 0.5 to 1.5 per cent in 2025, down from 3.5 to 4 per cent in 2024, suggesting that the wartime boom may have run its course.”

Manila and Taipei, facing PLA confrontations, may need to depend less on the US and appeal to Trump’s transactional nature, analysts say.