The Philippines and China agreed to seek common ground and find ways to cooperate despite their disagreements in the South China Sea, their foreign ministries said on Thursday, as heated rows persist over vessels deployed around disputed features.

A Philippine security official says China is “pushing us to the wall” with growing aggression in the disputed South China Sea and warned that “all options are on the table” for Manila’s response, including new international lawsuits.

Beijing and Manila have agreed to continue talks on settling their territorial differences despite Philippine protests about the presence of a Chinese "monster ship" near the contested Scarborough Shoal.

The Philippines accused China on Tuesday of intimidating its fishermen at a disputed South China Sea shoal, and normalizing an “illegal presence,” after Beijing sent its largest coast guard vessel into Manila’s maritime zone.

Growing tensions between China and the Philippines in the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea are reaching a boiling point, Manila officials say.

A Chinese coastguard ship patrolled Scarborough Shoal on Tuesday pushing the Philippines “to the wall,” and prompting Manila to consider international lawsuits.