People and activists in the Philippines have denounced their government's deal with the US that allows American forces to have greater access to military bases and increase their military footprint in the South China Sea amid tensions with China.

A Chinese military plane and a US reconnaissance aircraft confronted over the South China Sea. Beijing says Washington distorts the facts about the incident.

The US military announced that a Chinese military plane came within 20 feet (6 meters) of an American air force reconnaissance aircraft and forced it to take evasive maneuvers to avoid a collision over the South China Sea last week.

To that end, the two countries would establish a direct line of communication between foreign ministries.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says NATO is fanning the flames of tension in the South China Sea in a fashion detrimental to Russia.

The United States vows to defend the Philippines in case of a conflict in South China Sea.

China has carried out military drills across six zones surrounding Chinese Taipei, performing a conventional missile assault in the waters east of Taiwan, utilizing over one hundred fighter Jets and bombers, supported by more than 10 destroyers and frigates.

The US military sector is struggling to recruit sufficient personnel as the nation's youth are losing interest in joining the military. Consequently, the armed forces are experiencing large shortfalls in enlistment for various posts.

This episode looks at whether deployment of US carrier strike group in the South China Sea is a sign of military confrontation and why the US is after provoking China while it is involved in other military activities, like in Ukraine.

The order comes as US military officials report an uptick in the number of encounters between US and Chinese militaries in the South China Sea.