Outgoing United States President Joe Biden has praised the Philippine government over its diplomatic response to China's continued coercive actions in the South China Sea.

U.S. President Joe Biden on Sunday met virtually with his counterparts from Japan and the Philippines to advance cooperation among the three countries, the White House said.

Biden says his administration successfully ‘managed’ frosty China relations to prevent outright conflict. Critics say he didn’t go nearly far enough.

It could easily be dismissed as a pro forma farewell call by the outgoing leader of the United States, but President Joe Biden’s reassurance of continued American support must still hold water

In response, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said: "China strongly opposes the practice of bloc politics by relevant countries. We firmly oppose any acts that stoke and drive up tensions and harm other countries' strategic security and interests. We are seriously against forming exclusive groupings in this region."

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio criticized Beijing’s “dangerous and destabilizing” actions in the South China Sea in his early days in office, as he discussed the contested waterway with counterparts from the Philippines and Indonesia.

US President Joe Biden will have a trilateral telephone ... to blunt China's efforts to control most of the disputed South China Sea. Biden earlier cancelled a January 9-12 trip to Italy to ...

"China should direct ... with outgoing US president Joe Biden and Japanese prime minister Shigeru Ishiba to discuss “dangerous and unlawful behavior in the South China Sea”.

Philippine Leaders Discussed China's Behavior in South China Sea, White House Says WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden on Sunday met virtually with his counterparts from Japan and the ...

WASHINGTON - U.S. President Joe Biden on Sunday met ... and economic cooperation, and China's "dangerous and unlawful behavior in the South China Sea," it said in a statement.

WASHINGTON — US President Joe Biden on Sunday (Jan ... and economic co-operation, and China's "dangerous and unlawful behaviour in the South China Sea," it said in a statement.

The protest stems from the presence of two vessels on Jan 5 and Jan 10 in and around Scarborough Shoal. Read more at straitstimes.com.