Manila - The Philippines and China on Friday vowed to expand bilateral cooperation despite President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's signing of a new law that lays claim to disputed areas in the South China Sea.

China's Ambassador to the Philippines Liu Jianchao met with Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo and pledged to work on boosting bilateral relations, according to the Philippines' Department of Foreign Affairs.

Liu said China was keen to enhance trade and economic ties with the Philippines, especially in the areas of mining and infrastructure.

Manila, Mar 13 : The Philippine Lawn Tennis Association has asked Davis Cup organizers to move the July regional playoff against Pakistan from Lahore to Manila due to fears of its players being attacked.

PLTA vice president Randy Villanueva cited the March 3 attack on Sri Lankan cricketers in Lahore, which killed six police officers and a driver and injured several players, as evidence of the risk for sports team visiting Pakistan.

Manila  - The Philippine police force has formed dedicated teams to track down suspects in the killings of journalists as part of an effort to end unabated attacks on media representatives, a spokesman said Friday.

Chief Superintendent Nicanor Bartolome said national police chief Director General Jesus Verzosa instructed a police task force to supervise the manhunts for suspects in media killings.

Hanoi  - Vietnam has protested new moves by China and the Philippines asserting sovereignty over the disputed Spratly and Paracel Islands in the South China Sea, local press reported Friday.

China announced recently it would allow a tourist agency to offer trips to an island in the Spratly archipelago known in Vietnamese as Phu Lam.

"This act seriously infringes upon Vietnam's territorial sovereignty and is harmful to bilateral negotiations to seek a fundamental and durable solution to the sea issues between the two parties," the Vietnam News Agency quoted government spokesman Le Dung as saying Thursday.

Mexico City  -