MANILA (Reuters) - 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.

Speaking in Manila, Iwaya Takeshi said that his country’s partnership with Southeast Asia was “vital for regional peace and stability,”

The Philippines reiterated its willingness to address--through dialogue--the South China Sea conflict with China, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Thursday. Manila and Beijing convened the 10th meeting of the Bilateral Consultation Mechanism on the South China Sea (BCM) in Xiamen,

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.

U.S. President Joe Biden on Sunday met virtually with his counterparts from Japan and the Philippines to advance cooperation among the three countries, the White House said.

The Philippines has threatened international lawsuits against China for the action, which it says is another sign of the country's ongoing aggression in the area.

The Philippine Coast Guard on Wednesday said that China's "monster ship" deployed off Zambales in Luzon was so far Beijing's closest vessel yet to the Philippine coastline.

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.