As the world's attention turned towards Washington and Donald Trump's inauguration, the Pentagon was operating decisively under the radar Days before Donald Trump's inauguration, Washington quietly deployed an aircraft carrier strike group to the disputed South China Sea and staged secretive naval drills with the Philippines.

MANILA: Senator Marco Rubio, US President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the State Department, said China should “stop messing around” with the Philippines and Taiwan, noting that its “deeply destabilising” actions in the region are compelling the US to “counteract.

Taipei Bureau The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has vowed to continue its efforts to challenge China’s increasing presence in the South China Sea, asserting its determination to prevent Beijing from normalising illegal maritime patrols.

Analysts say the agreement 'commits both states to a status quo' and urge the Philippines to hold firm on its South China Sea stance In a rare moment of accord amid their simmering feud over the South China Sea,