US military open to escorting Philippine ships in the South China Sea, senior admiral says 

United States Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) commander Admiral Samuel Paparo is greeted by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. during a courtesy visit inside Malacanang presidential palace in Manila, Aug. 27, 2024. In this Aug. 22 frame grab from handout video provided by the Philippine Coast Guard, structures on the Chinese occupied Subi reef, locally called Zamora reef are seen at the disputed waters of the South China Sea. (Philippine Coast Guard via AP)

The U.S. military is open to consultations about escorting Philippine ships in the disputed South China Sea, the head of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said Tuesday amid a spike in hostilities between Beijing and Manila in the disputed waters.