New Delhi, Feb. 11 -- Manila's top envoy to Washington expressed confidence Tuesday that the United States will not abandon the Philippines as it fights Beijing's assertiveness in the disputed South China Sea - even as Donald Trump and Xi Jinping seek more direct talks to resolve differences.

Philippine Ambassador to Washington Jose Manuel Romualdez welcomed renewed talks between the U.S. and Chinese leaders, and said Manila should also try to "fine-tune" its relations with Beijing to allow for more trade engagement.

He said, however, that the Philippines will remain steadfast in defending its territorial interests in the South China Sea, which Beijing claims virtually in its entirety.

The U.S. and the Philippines, Washington's oldest ...