The Philippines has accused a giant Chinese coast guard vessel it dubbed as the “Monster” of maintaining an “illegal presence” in its exclusive economic zone as Beijing ramps up activities in the disputed South China Sea.

Bloomberg reported that "Chinese-state sponsored hackers penetrated the executive branch of the Philippines government and stole sensitive data," as always, according to three anonymous people "familiar with the matter.

MANILA: China's position on hacking and cyberattacks was consistent and clear, a spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines said on Wednesday (Jan 9).

China has accused the Philippines of repeated encroachment in its waters. China with its largest navy in the world claims most of the South China Sea, a key conduit for $3 trillion of annual ship-borne trade, as its own territory, with a massive coast guard presence in and around the EEZs of neighbours Vietnam, the Philippines, and Malaysia.

As the United States increasingly looks to multilateral partnerships to meet challenges in the Indo-Pacific, the Quad (Australia, India, Japan, and the United States) has become a focal point for collaboration.

The 12,000-tonne vessel has reportedly been operating within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone for three days.

Beijing faces greater risks of aerial rather than maritime confrontations with the Philippines in the Sea, a leading Chinese analyst has warned. The note of caution from Hu Bo, director of the Beijing-based Sea Strategic Situation Probing Initiative (SCSPI),

China has beefed up its presence in the West Philippine Sea, deploying a People’s Liberation Army-Navy (PLAN) helicopter as well as another China Coast

The USS Carl Vinson, a US Navy Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, is in the South China Sea for “routine operations.” According to the US Pacific Command, the flagship of Carrier Strike Group ONE “is underway conducting routine operations in the US 7th Fleet area of operations.

By working together on technology and economic issues, the Quad and the Philippines could create greater resilience against economic coercion and

Ties between China and U.S. ally the Philippines have soured in the past few years, with spats frequent as Manila, under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, pushes back at what it sees as aggression by Bei

China’s increasing presence in the South China Sea has sparked concern among neighboring nations. Last month, Beijing conducted large-scale military drills near Scarborough Shoa