China and the Philippines participated in a display of national flags on a disputed sandbank in the South China Sea, escalating existing regional tensions between the two countries. This confrontation unfolded at Sandy Cay, a part of the disputed Spratly Islands, and comes after the US and the Philippines conducted their annual joint military drills. The incident began when Chinese state media reported that the Coast Guard had landed on the disputed reef, unfurled a flag, and asserted its jurisdictional rights. Chinese media later accused Filipino personnel of boarding Sandy Cay despite warnings, leading to accusations of violating China’s sovereignty. There are no signs of permanent occupation or construction by China on the reef. The Philippines’ Coast Guard confirmed the presence of a Chinese Coast Guard vessel and several militia vessels, emphasizing the country’s commitment to uphold its sovereignty. This comes amid China’s sovereignty claims over the South China Sea and its dismissal of competing as well as international legal assertions. The US-Philippines joint military drills were seen as a demonstration of mutual defense capabilities by US Marine Corps Lieutenant General James Glynn, which was viewed by Beijing as undermining regional stability, accusing Manila of colluding with foreign countries.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/apr/28/china-philippines-flags-sandy-cay-south-china-sea
China-Philippines flag dispute escalates in South China Sea sandbank | China
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