President Joe Biden has vowed that the US will defend the Philippines from any attack in the South China Sea, calling its support for Manila “ironclad”.

Mr Biden’s comments come amid regular skirmishes and rising tensions between Chinese and Philippine coast guard vessels in the disputed waterway.

The US and Philippines have had a mutual defence treaty in place since 1951.

China has repeatedly blamed the US for raising tensions in the region.

Speaking at the start of three-way talks at the White House with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, Mr Biden said that “any attack on Philippine aircraft, vessels or armed forces in the South China Sea would invoke our mutual defence treaty”.