Under Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the relationship between Manila and Beijing has soured. Manila is now turning back to the United States for support in its maritime disputes against China.

This timeline shows the key events that have escalated tensions this year between China and the Philippines:

JAN 3: The Philippines and United States conduct their second joint patrol of the South China Sea, while China is conducting similar activities with its air and naval forces in this disputed waterway.

The Philippines has condemned China's coast guard for their "reckless" "illegal" actions which led to the collision of a Chinese ship with a Philippine vessel, causing damage to the latter, and resulting in injuries for some of its crew. This occurred during a supply mission for troops on the Second Thomas Shoal. China claims that the Philippine vessels intruded illegally into the waters near the shoal.

China has warned the United States to refrain from "stoking up trouble" and taking sides in the South China Sea dispute, following the statement by U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken that a security agreement with the Philippines included attacks against the Philippine Coast Guard.

China's coastguard has announced that it took measures against Philippine ships resupplying troops on the Second Thomas Shoal. The Philippines condemned the actions, including the use water cannons that damaged their ship and injured crew members, as being "irresponsible" and provocative.

APRIL 7, 2019 - The U.S. military, Japan and Australia will conduct a "maritime cooperation activity" within the Philippines Exclusive Economic Zone in the South China Sea.

APRIL 11: The United States Army deploys the ground-based Typhon system in joint military drills conducted with the Philippines. This is the first time the mid-range capability of the United States Army has been deployed in the Indo-Pacific.

APRIL 16: The Philippines sends its coastguard patrol ship Teresa Magbanua, to Sabina Shoal, to monitor what they suspect to be small-scale reclamation activity by China. China denies this accusation.

APRIL 30: Philippines accuses China of harassing and damaging two of their boats in an area disputed of the South China Sea. It rejects Beijing’s claim that they had expelled these vessels from the hotly-contested Scarborough Shoal.

May 10: The Philippines' national advisor for security calls for the expulsion Chinese diplomats due to an alleged leak involving a conversation between a senior Filipino naval official and a Chinese diplomat.

May 15 - A civilian fleet of Philippine ships sails to Scarborough Shoal to assert Manila’s maritime rights, and to distribute supplies to the fishermen who are anchored there.

May 20: The Philippines has challenged China to allow an independent party to access Scarborough Shoal after Beijing was accused of damaging the marine environment.

May 22 - A Philippine Navy Admiral accuses China's embassy in Manila recording a telephone call without his consent, and denies forming a deal with Beijing in order to ease tensions on the South China Sea.

JUNE 15: Philippines submits a claim to the United Nations, claiming an extended continental shelf within the South China Sea.

JUNE 17: A Philippine sailor lost a finger as a result of what the Philippine military described as an "intentional high speed ramming by the Chinese Coast Guard" to disrupt a supply mission for troops on Second Thomas Shoal. China disputes Manila’s account and says the necessary measures were taken in a professional manner.

JULY 2, Manila hosts a high-level meeting on the management of disputes in South China Sea. During this event, Philippines and China agreed to "restore confidence" and "rebuild trust" to better handle maritime disputes.

JULY 8, 2008 - Philippines & Japan sign a landmark military agreement allowing the deployment of forces in each other's territory in response to what they perceive as China's increasing assertiveness in the region.

JULY 17, 2017 - Philippines & China agree to establish new lines of communications to improve their handling maritime disputes.

JULY 22, Philippines and China come to an "agreement provisional" regarding resupply missions for a Filipino naval vessel stranded in Second Thomas Shoal.

JULY 27, - The Philippines has completed without incident a resupply mission to its troops on a disputed South China Sea Shoal. This is the first of such missions under a new agreement with China that aims to cool tensions.

JULY 30, - The United States has pledged $500 million to the Philippines military and coastguard as a show of support in response to Chinese actions in South China Sea.

AUG 2: Philippines and Japan conduct first joint military exercise in the South China Sea.

AUG 9: The Philippines and Vietnam hold the first ever joint coast guard exercises. They have been at odds with Beijing over the South China Sea.

AUG 10: Philippines accuses China of performing "dangerous maneuvers" when it dropped flares into the path of an aircraft of the Philippine Air Force conducting a routine air patrol over Scarborough Shoal.

AU6 19: China and the Philippines accuse each of performing dangerous maneuvers and ramming vessels near Sabina Shoal.

AUG 24: Philippines demands that Beijing "immediately stop all provocative and harmful actions". It accuses Beijing of "unjustifiably deploying flares" from China-occupied Subi Reef while a Manila aircraft conducted patrols on August 22.

AUG 25: Philippines and China clashed near Sabina Shoal, over what Manila claimed was a resupply for fishermen.

AUG 27: The top U.S. Admiral said that U.S. vessels could accompany Philippine ships on resupply mission in the South China Sea. However, such a possibility would require consultation between the allies.

AUG 31: Philippines and China accuse each other of deliberately ramming Coast Guard vessels near Sabina Shoal. This is their fifth maritime encounter in a single month.

SEPTEMBER 12 - Philippines will maintain its stance on Sabina Shoal while exploring ways to reduce tensions in the region during "honest and candid" discussions with China about managing disputes.

(source: Reuters)