Beijing’s flag in the South China Sea revives tensions with Manila

Unlock Free

Roula Khalaf, publisher of the FT, selects her favorite stories in this weekly newsletter.

China’s passage to proclaim sovereignty over a reef played in the South China Sea has triggered a new stop with the Philippines, increasing the tensions between the two rival claimants on the eve of the US military exercises nearby.

On Sunday, the Philippines sent Sandy Cay and two neighboring Sandbanks neighbors in the Spratly Islands to “defend the sovereignty of the country, the rights and the sovereign jurisdiction” and showed the national flag, according to a statement Posted in X.

The movement occurred one day after China said it had “implemented maritime control and to exercise sovereign jurisdiction” on the reef for showing their own flag There: The first official sovereignty declaration or near a land feature in the waters played in at least a decade.

The row on Sandy Cay comes when the troops of the Philippines and the American will start Drosca of coastal defense and insular confiscation In the Philippine territory closest to the Spratlys Monday.

Although only a sand bank that measures just over 200 square meters, Sandy Cay has a strategic value because its categorization as a rock could allow the nation to control -to claim a territorial sea around it. That 12 -kilometer nautical radius would overlap on Ththu Island, the Philippines“The most important point in the area of ​​the area.

The White House said on Saturday that the reports of China Taking Sandy Cay was “deeply worrying if it is true.” James Hewitt, a spokesman for the National Security Council, said: “Actions like these threaten regional stability and violate international law.”

China claims that the South China Sea almost completely, but the Hague Permanent Arbitration Court in 2016 rule This inconsistent with international law. The Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei claim part of the strategically located sea and some islands and reefs.

But Beijing has faced more often with the Philippines since Manila resumed his affirmation of his maritime rights after President Ferdinand Marcos JR took office in June 2022.

Beijing Outmuscle all the rival plaintiffs because it has the Guard costs in the world and maritime militia and has built military bases with missiles, radars and active air force on various artificial islands in the area.

Sandy Cay is one of the four reefs where Manila has suspected that China has to plan land claims followed by more militarization.

The China Costera Guard said on Sunday that its law agents had landed on Sandy Cay on Sunday to investigate and “manage” what was called “illegal” acts of the Philippine officials.

Neither party reported a direct commitment. The images published by the Philippine Guard of the Philippines did not show Chinese presence in the reef. But according to the Philippine Guard Declaration, and the monitoring data reviewed by Financial Times, a Chinese coastal guard and several Chinese maritime militimal militimo vessels continue around.