Jin-class strategic submarine could threaten US territory from the contested waterway, but its flaw may make it easy to track.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reaffirmed Washington’s “ironclad” commitment to a mutual defense treaty with the Philippines during a call with his counterpart in Manila in the face of geopolitical tensions in South China Sea.

The Canadian ambassador says his country and the Philippines are in the final stages of negotiating a key defense pact that will allow their forces to hold larger military drills in the South China Se

According to Philippine media reports, the US, the Philippines, Australia, and Japan held a joint maritime exercise in the South China Sea on Wednesday. At the same time, Philippine media did not hesitate to hype the so-called Chinese "monster ship.

The South China Sea is a complex geopolitical issue involving territorial disputes, military tensions, and conflicting claims by littoral countries including China. Analysts say as the waterway is one of Beijing’s core interests, it is also listed as “highly sensitive” by censors.

The latest Maritime Security Threat Advisory from Dryad Global states that China’s military activity near Scarborough Shoal in

China has conducted military patrols in the South China Sea while the Philippines was holding joint naval drills with the U.S., Japan and Australia, saying Manila is undermining Beijing's claims in the region.