China accused the Philippines on Friday of having "provoked trouble" in the South China Sea with U.S. backing, a week after Beijing and Manila traded accusations over a new confrontation in the disputed waters.

China accused the Philippines of provoking trouble in the South China Sea (SCS), allegedly under the influence of the United States. Responding to this,

The confrontations at Scarborough and Sabina shoals indicate that Beijing has no intention of easing off on its pressure campaign in disputed waters.

The Philippines' foreign ministry said on Thursday it has filed a diplomatic protest against China over a Dec. 4 maritime incident in the contested Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea. Thursday's

Diplomats and representatives from the militaries and coast guards of the United States, Japan and the Philippines had a maritime dialogue against a backdrop of clashes involving Philippine and Chinese vessels in the South China Sea.

The United States Navy will enhance the firepower of its fleet of fast and agile warships, making them capable of launching long-range missiles while deployed in the contested South China Sea. Announcing the upgrade,

The Philippines stood before the United Nations on Tuesday, December 10 to assert its sovereign rights over Scarborough Shoal (Bajo de Masinloc), a coral reef formation within the country's exclusive economic zone where China announced territorial sea baselines last month.