Rubio arrives in Philippines as US condemns Beijing's actions in South China Sea

The United States on Tuesday condemned China's "dangerous and aggressive actions" following a clash with the Philippine navy in the South China Sea, as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Manila for meetings with Southeast Asian leaders.

"China's troubling pattern of provocations against the Philippines' legitimate maritime operations undermines regional peace and stability and directly contradicts China's repeated commitments to resolve disputes peacefully," the US State Department said in a statement.

Rubio landed in Manila on Tuesday morning to attend meetings with foreign ministers from the 11-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Although US officials have not confirmed whether Rubio will meet Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who is due to arrive in Manila on Wednesday, the US secretary of state has said he is open to the possibility. The two last met on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in Kuala Lumpur last year and again in Munich in February.

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In an opinion piece published by Philippine media outlets on Tuesday, Rubio reaffirmed Washington's commitment "to freedom of navigation in Southeast Asia" and underscored the US security commitment to the region.

"This freedom is by no means guaranteed. If these waters were to fall under the control of a power willing to use trade as a geopolitical weapon, both the United States and the ASEAN states would face serious new threats to their sovereignty, security, and economic future," he wrote, in an apparent reference to China.

Beijing claims sovereignty over nearly the entire South China Sea despite an international tribunal ruling that its claims have no legal basis. Several ASEAN members, including the Philippines, also claim parts of the strategically important waterway.

The latest diplomatic tensions come after the Philippine military accused the Chinese coast guard of injuring a Filipino sailor during an incident near a disputed outpost on Monday. China rejected the allegation, describing Manila's account as a "complete distortion of the truth".

The visit marks Rubio's first trip to the Philippines as US secretary of state and is expected to reinforce the two countries' growing strategic partnership.

It also comes amid renewed hostilities between the United States and Iran over another critical maritime route, the Strait of Hormuz.

Before departing Washington on Sunday, Rubio said he would also attend a meeting with his counterparts from the Quad countries—Australia, India and Japan—on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit, in addition to bilateral meetings with South Korea and possibly Vietnam.

He said discussions would focus on strengthening US economic engagement in the region, particularly in energy infrastructure, critical minerals and artificial intelligence.