The Philippines and China agreed to seek common ground and find ways to cooperate despite their disagreements in the South China Sea, their foreign ministries said on Thursday, as heated rows persist over vessels deployed around disputed features.

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.

The Philippines has threatened international lawsuits against China for the action, which it says is another sign of the country's ongoing aggression in the area.

U.S. President Joe Biden on Sunday met virtually with his counterparts from Japan and the Philippines to advance cooperation among the three countries, the White House said.

The protest stems from the presence of two coast guard vessels on Jan. 5 and Jan. 10 in and around the disputed Scarborough shoal

MANILA: China and the Philippines are holding talks on their South China Sea dispute, Manila’s top envoy said Wednesday (Jan 15), as tensions rise anew over Beijing’s giant vessel in disputed waters.

Chinese Coast Guard ships fire water cannons at Unaizah May 4, a Philippine Navy chartered vessel, conducting a routine resupply mission to troops stationed at Second Thomas Shoal, on March 5, 2024, in the South China Sea. (Photo by Ezra Acayan/Getty Images)

Officials warned that ‘all options are on the table’ for Manila’s response, including new international lawsuits.

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.

The Philippine Coast Guard on Wednesday said that China's "monster ship" deployed off Zambales in Luzon was so far Beijing's closest vessel yet to the Philippine coastline.