The Philippines-U.S. alliance has a new opportunity to be strengthened and the focus this time should be contributing to regional strategic stability, which starts by deterring China in the West Philippine Sea, the portion of the South China Sea within Manila’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), and nearby flashpoints.

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.

Philippine and U.S. Navy SEALs secured a gas and oil platform in the South China Sea in the latest joint combined exchange training between the two special operations units near the disputed waters last week.

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,

In a video partly filmed alongside a vessel belonging to the Philippine Coast Guard, Lammy on March 10 condemned "dangerous and destabilising activities" by Beijing in the South China Sea. China claims the strategically important waterway in nearly its entirety,

China has called on the United Kingdom to respect its interests in the South China Sea and avoid provoking tensions in the region. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Mao Ning made the call on Tuesday.