MANILA, April 15 -- The Philippines needs broader support from the international community to prevail against China's aggressive behavior in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

Experts made this remark during an April 11 closed-door forum hosted by think-tank Stratbase ADR Institute and the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), according to a statement by the think-tank released on Monday.

This two-day event titled "The West Philippine Sea as Ground Zero of Emerging Risks and Opportunities" brought together incumbent and former government officials, members of the diplomatic community, scholars, and policy experts to discuss the maritime security landscape in the WPS and explore avenues for cooperation with like-minded countries.

In his ...