Manila, May 6 -- National Security Adviser (NSA) Eduardo Ano on Tuesday said security challenges in the South China Sea are unlikely to be reduced anytime soon.

"The Philippines recognizes the challenges in the South China Sea are unlikely to diminish anytime soon. The situation becomes even more complex due to potential flashpoints in the area which continue to evolve amid rising geopolitical and geoeconomic tensions and shifting global security dynamics," Amo said in his speech at the Stratbase Institute and Stanford University's Sealight Project online forum titled "Scarborough Shoal: Facing Facts and Exploring Options."

The NSA attributed the tensions to China's baseless, excessive and expansive territorial claims, militarization, a...