US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday the United States under President Donald Trump remained committed to the Philippines' defense, as tensions simmer with Beijing in the South China Sea.

The protest stems from the presence of two coast guard vessels on Jan. 5 and Jan. 10 in and around the disputed Scarborough shoal

Analysts say the agreement ‘commits both states to a status quo’ and urge the Philippines to hold firm on its South China Sea stance.

LANGKAWI, Malaysia (Reuters) - The regional bloc ASEAN and China should make headway on a protracted code of conduct for the South China Sea by tackling thorny "milestone issues", including its scope and if it can be legally binding, the Philippines' top diplomat said on Saturday.

Japan, the Philippines and the United States vowed to further deepen cooperation under a trilateral arrangement in the face of rising tensions in Asia's waters, the three countries said following a call among their leaders.

Beijing and Manila have agreed to continue talks on settling their territorial differences despite Philippine protests about the presence of a Chinese "monster ship" near the contested Scarborough Shoal.

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines accused China on Tuesday of intimidating its fishermen at a disputed South China Sea shoal, and normalizing an “illegal presence,” after Beijing sent its largest coast guard vessel into Manila’s maritime zone.

In a call with Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo, Rubio “underscored the United States’ ironclad commitments to the Philippines under our Mutual Defense Treaty,” US Department of State spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said.

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China had protested what it called "close-in reconnaissance" of Chinese territory by the U.S. military in the past.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio sparked a sharp rebuke from Beijing over his comments on the South China Sea in one of his first foreign policy statements since taking office.