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.

The Philippines asserts its independence in the South China Sea dispute, countering China's claims of external influence. Manila's foreign ministry emphasizes China's non-compliance with international law and reveals a transparency initiative involving journalists to highlight maritime actions.

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.

Teodoro casts China’s actions in the South China Sea as a sinister plot to “restrict freedom of flights” and navigation. This is a textbook case of swapping the label on the bottle. Western narratives love to conflate China’s lawful activities in its own territories with “bullying” or “restricting freedom.

The Philippines’ top diplomat to the United States expressed confidence Monday that President Donald Trump’s new administration would continue military patrols in the disputed South China Sea and move ahead with an agreed expansion of the U.