An escalating dispute between China and the United States over a recent clash in the South China Sea threatens to dominate discussions at this week's ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting in Manila.
On July 20, China Coast Guard personnel were recorded chasing members of the Philippine Navy at the Second Thomas Shoal, a contested area in the South China Sea. The incident, captured in a video released by the Armed Forces of the Philippines and reported by AP, has intensified tensions between Beijing and Washington.
The confrontation comes as foreign ministers from ASEAN countries and their global counterparts gather in Manila, with the spat expected to overshadow the diplomatic agenda.
The South China Sea remains a flashpoint involving multiple actors, including China, the Philippines, and the United States, amid competing territorial claims and strategic interests.
Loading comments.