Philippines to boost diplomacy and defence capability as South China Sea 'countermeasures'

MANILA (Reuters) - Countermeasures by the Philippines to China’s conduct in the South China Sea will entail strengthening its defence capabilities with allies and exhausting all diplomatic measures to resolve disputes, a security official said on Monday.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr last week said the Philippines would implement unspecified measures against “illegal, coercive, aggressive, and dangerous attacks” by China’s coastguard, upping the stakes in an escalating row in the South China Sea.