China, Philippines spar over a sandbar in SCS

A tiny sandbar in the disputed South China Sea has become the latest flashpoint in tensions between China and the Philippines, with each side displaying its flag to reinforce competing claims on the island.

Earlier this month, members of the Chinese Coast Guard landed on the disputed reef, Sandy Cay, unfurled a flag and “exercised sovereign jurisdiction,” Chinese state media reported Thursday. They left the island by Sunday, when the Philippines deployed its own personnel to the sandbar. Hours later, Beijing called the act an “illegal boarding”, saying it had “indisputable sovereignty” over Spratly Islands, a chain of dozens of slivers of land, including Sandy Cay, in South China Sea, and its surrounding waters.

The standoff comes days after allies the US and the Philippines began their annual joint military drills in the Philippines, which China has criticised as undermining regional stability.

On Monday morning, Jonathan Malaya, assistant director general of the Philippines’ national security council, pushed back on China’s claim that Beijing had seized the reef and urged it to “act with restraint and not increase tensions” in South China Sea. “It is not to the benefit of any nation if these things are happening, nor is it to the benefit of any nation if such irresponsible statements are released.” Beijing claims about 90% of South China Sea, parts of which are also claimed by Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and the Philippines.