Philippines presses Chinese diplomats to tone down rhetoric over maritime row

On Tuesday, the Philippines' Ambassador to the US, Jose Manuel Romualdez, underscored the need to "cool" the temperature between China and the Philippines, saying that the relationship between the two countries should not be defined solely by the maritime dispute.

The Philippines and China have been locked in a series of maritime confrontations in recent years, with the Philippines accusing China of aggressive actions inside its exclusive economic zones, including dangerous manoeuvres, water-cannoning, and interference in resupply missions.

China, in turn, has accused the Philippines of intruding into what it claims as its territory.

(Reporting by Karen Lema; Editing by David Stanway)