Despite rising maritime tensions with China, the Philippines is keeping the door open for possible joint oil and gas exploration with Beijing in the South China Sea.

The Philippines has not received any opposition from other countries regarding its position and activities in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) except for

China's activity in the contested South China Sea is "hindering" Filipino companies from exploring natural resources in the region, Philippines Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo said during a talk at Chatham House in London on Tuesday.

The Philippines has again supported a United Nations resolution demanding Russia's withdrawal from Ukraine, while in a dramatic reversal, the United States has sided with Moscow for the first time in its vote since Russia's full-scale invasion began three years ago.

The maritime standoff between the Philippines and China took center stage in an international security conference in Munich, Germany when diplomats

The Philippines’ foreign affairs chief puts forward a longer-term solution for tensions to go down in the South China Sea: it’s time for China to ‘behave professionally’

Philippine Secretary of National Defence Gilberto Teodoro said stressed the need for a strong partnership between the Philippines and Japan to prevent any unilateral efforts to change the existing global framework.

Analysts say the Philippines needs to carefully calibrate its response to Chinese aggression amid efforts to strengthen its defense capabilities

While Russia's war against Ukraine and a wavering transatlantic alliance drew the world's attention at this year's Munich Security Conference, sparks also flew over claims in the Sea as debate involving participants representing Beijing and Manila dug into their positions in the region.

Maritime tensions between China and the Philippines were in the spotlight at the Munich Security Conference, with former Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Fu Ying calling the occupation of disputed features in the South China Sea “a red line.”

Photo: Screenshot of MSC website . At the 61st Munich Security Conference on Saturday afternoon, a panel discussion themed "Making Waves: Maritime Tensions in the Indo-Pacific" at