China and Philippines show competing flags on disputed South China Sea sandbank | China

China and the Philippines have displayed their nationwide flags in competing picture alternatives on a disputed sandbank within the South China sea, ratcheting up longstanding regional tensions between the 2 international locations.

The dispute performed out at Sandy Cay, which is a part of the disputed Spratly Islands, and comes days after the US and the Philippines launched their annual joint army drills known as “Balikatan”, or “shoulder to shoulder”, which this yr will embrace an built-in air and missile defence simulation for the primary time.

The newest confrontation seems to have emerged on Thursday, when Chinese language state media reported the Coast Guard landed on the disputed reef two weeks in the past, unfurled a flag and “exercised sovereign jurisdiction”.

On Sunday, China’s coast guard then accused six Filipino personnel of “illegally boarding” Sandy Cay, which Beijing calls Tiexian Reef, earlier that day regardless of “warnings and dissuasion” from the Chinese language aspect.

Spokesperson Liu Dejun stated coast guard personnel then “boarded the reef and investigated and handled it in accordance with the regulation”.

“We urge the Philippines to right away cease its infringement,” Liu stated, including that the actions “violated China’s territorial sovereignty”.

Sandy Cay is only a few kilometres from Thitu island, the place the Philippines maintains a army outpost.

There don’t look like any indicators that China has completely occupied the reef or has constructed a construction on it.

On Monday Philippines officers disputed China’s declare that it had gained management.

“The information on the bottom belie their statements,” Nationwide Safety Council spokesperson Jonathan Malaya stated. “It isn’t to the advantage of any nation if this stuff are taking place, nor it’s to the advantage of any nation if such irresponsible bulletins and statements are launched to the general public and to the world.”

Chinese language state broadcaster CCTV revealed {a photograph} of 5 black-clad folks standing on the uninhabited reef as a darkish inflatable boat bobbed within the close by water. The group additionally “cleaned up leftover plastic bottles, wood sticks and different particles and rubbish on the reef”, the broadcaster reported.

Philippines Coast Guard spokesperson Jay Tarriela stated on Sunday that its navy, coast guard and police personnel had deployed to Sandy Cay in 4 rubber boats and had “noticed the unlawful presence” of a Chinese language Coast Guard vessel and 7 China maritime militia vessels.

Posting footage of their very own flag being displayed, Tarriela added: “This operation displays the unwavering dedication and dedication of the Philippine authorities to uphold the nation’s sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction within the West Philippine Sea.”

Beijing claims sovereignty over virtually all the South China Sea and has waved away competing assertions from different international locations within the area in addition to a global ruling that its place has no authorized foundation.

On the opening ceremony in Manila for the joint US-Philippines army drills, which started on Monday final week, US Marine Corps Lieutenant Basic James Glynn stated the 2 sides would “exhibit not simply our will to uphold our mutual defence treaty in existence since 1951 however our matchless functionality to take action”.

“Nothing builds bonds extra rapidly than shared adversity,” he stated, with out specifying a typical risk.

Beijing stated the army manoeuvres “undermine regional strategic stability” and accused Manila of “collusion with international locations outdoors the area”.

With Agence France-Presse