U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has held a first phone call with the Philippines’ foreign minister, telling him the Trump administration’s commitment to Manila is ironclad. They also discussed Beijing's "dangerous and destabilizing actions" in the South China Sea.
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00:00U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has held his first phone call with the Philippines'
00:04foreign minister, telling him the Trump administration's commitment to Manila is ironclad.
00:11The State Department says the two diplomats discussed what Rubio called China's dangerous
00:15and destabilizing actions in the South China Sea, with Rubio stressing that China's provocations
00:21violate international law.
00:23Tensions are high between China and the Philippines, with increasing clashes in the sea, where
00:27both countries have territorial claims.
00:30An international arbitration court ruled years ago that China's claims there are baseless,
00:35but Beijing rejects that ruling.