China’s coast guard seized a small sandbar in the South China Sea, state media reports in escalating regional conflicts with the Philippines.
The state broadcaster CCTV released images of four officers all wearing black people and carrying Chinese flags, standing on a conflicted coral reef in Sandycay, in the Spratly Islands.
CCTV said China “implemented maritime controls and exercised sovereign jurisdiction” on the coral reefs in early April.
Both China and the Philippines are betting on a variety of islands. The Philippines said on Sunday it had landed in the three-person Sandbank and released the image of an officer raising the flag in a pose that mimics a photograph of China.
It is unclear whether Sandy Cay was one of the Sandbanks where Philippine security forces landed, but local media says the Sand Bank is near Chitu Island.
The conflict between the two countries is escalating, with frequent conflicts such as ship collisions and brawls.
Sandycay is located near the front post of the Philippine military on Thitu Island, also known as PAG-ASA, which Manila is said to be used to track Chinese movements in the region.
China is permanently occupying the 200-square-meter island, and there is no indication that the Coast Guard is reported to have left.
The White House said reports of China’s seizing coral reefs were “deeply concerned if true.”
In a comment reported by the Financial Times, James Hewitt, a spokesman for the US National Security Council, warned that “actions like these threaten local stability and violate international law,” adding that the White House is “in close consultation with our partners.”
China’s move is called Barikatan exercises as we and the Philippine military are carrying out their annual war scenario drills. China criticizes training as provocative.
Over 17,000 staff will be participating in the next few days. The missile from the U.S. Marine Air Defense Integrated System was the second live fire test of the system and was launched off the coast of the northern Philippines, the first deployment into the Philippines. The drills are also set up with the US anti-ship missile system nmesis.
The Philippine military claims that drills are rehearsals for national defense, but they are not directed at any particular country.
“This type of training is absolutely invaluable for us,” said John Leharn, Coastal Regiment Officer of the Third Marine Corps.
The exercise helped ease the fear among US allies that it may overturn the longstanding military support Donald Trump provided in the region.
On a trip to Manila last month, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegses said Washington was “doubling” its alliance with the country and was determined to “reestablish deterrent power” against China.
After centuries have been struggling over territory in the South China Sea, tensions have been rising in recent years.
China is much more claiming the territory of the region, separated by the so-called “Nine Dash Line.” The line consists of nine dashes extending hundreds of miles south from the southernmost Hainan province and east. Beijing supports its vast claims in the construction of the island and naval patrols.
Competing claimants such as Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei claim different zones of the island and sea.
