A Philippine security official says China is “pushing us to the wall” with growing aggression in the disputed South China Sea and warned that “all options are on the table” for Manila’s response, including new international lawsuits.

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.

Speaking in Manila, Iwaya Takeshi said that his country’s partnership with Southeast Asia was “vital for regional peace and stability,”

U.S. President Joe Biden on Sunday met virtually with his counterparts from Japan and the Philippines to advance cooperation among the three countries, the White House said.

Growing tensions between China and the Philippines in the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea are reaching a boiling point, Manila officials say.