Tensions Escalate as China and Philippines Clash Over Disputed Shoal

The Philippines refuses to allow China to remove a Filipino military outpost in the South China Sea shoal, following a confrontation where four Filipino navy personnel were injured. Chinese coast guard and militia ships have blocked Filipino ships delivering supplies, prompting the Philippines to convey a strong protest to the Chinese Embassy in Manila. The U.S. has warned that it is obligated to defend the Philippines, its oldest treaty ally in Asia, if Filipino forces come under armed attack in the South China Sea. The recent confrontations have sparked fears of a larger conflict involving the United States, and both countries have met to take steps to lower tensions.