US President Donald Trump told President Ferdinand Marcos Jr that he will take up the concerns of the Philippines in the West Philippine Sea with Chinese President Xi Jinping, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said late Thursday.

Trump and Xi are scheduled to meet on Sept. 24 when the Chinese leader is expected to visit Washington.

Chinese Coast Guard ships have used water cannons to drive Philippine government vessels away from a refueling mission in Ayungin Shoal on Monday, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said. On Friday, Chinese ships also tried to drive government ships from sending supplies to Filipino fishermen in Scarborough Shoal, the PCG added.

Friday's incident is the second straight day this has occurred in Scarborough.

Trump and Marcos had a phone conversation where they discussed the current global, economic and security situation, the PCO said.

In a statement, the PCO said the phone conversation was an offshoot of the meeting between President Marcos and US State Secretary Marco Rubio in Malacañang on Wednesday.

“The President updated Secretary Rubio on the recent incidents in the South China Sea,” the PCO statement read. PHS-Presidential News Desk