Philippine government peace negotiators cancelled formal peace talks with Maoist-led rebels in the Netherlands on Saturday after New People's Army (NPA) guerrillas stepped up offensives in the countryside.

The two sides have been engaged in peace talks brokered by Norway to end nearly five decades of conflict, in which more than 40,000 people have been killed.

At the latest round of talks with the National Democratic Front, the NPA's political arm, presidential adviser Jesus Dureza said the government had suspended negotiations because the rebels did not reciprocate President Rodrigo Duterte's peace overtures.