China should recognise that the Philippines is an independent and sovereign state whose actions and decisions are driven entirely by national interest and not at the direction of other countries, Manila's foreign ministry said on Monday.

UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy slammed "dangerous and destabilising" activity by Beijing in the disputed South China Sea on Monday, following a weekend visit to the Philippines.

The Philippines asserts its independence in the South China Sea dispute, countering China's claims of external influence. Manila's foreign ministry emphasizes China's non-compliance with international law and reveals a transparency initiative involving journalists to highlight maritime actions.

Teodoro casts China’s actions in the South China Sea as a sinister plot to “restrict freedom of flights” and navigation. This is a textbook case of swapping the label on the bottle. Western narratives love to conflate China’s lawful activities in its own territories with “bullying” or “restricting freedom.

Vietnam has quietly expanded its foothold in the South China Sea. Unlike with China, the rest of the region is turning a blind eye.

Britain is concerned by China's "dangerous and destabilising" activity in the South China Sea, British foreign minister David Lammy said on Monday. "We are concerned by dangerous and destabilising activities by China in the South China Sea,