China Claims Sovereignty Over Sandy Cay, Escalating Tensions With Philippines:

Suspense crime, Digital Desk : Reports from state-run CCTV indicate that China has claimed sovereignty over the uninhabited reef, Sandy Cay, located in the South China Sea. The Chinese coast guard claims to have ‘implemented maritime control’ over the island in mid-April.

The Philippines Denounces China’s Claim As False

The Philippines dubbed China’s claims as fake news, in Malaya’s words, stating that their military had in fact conducted “lawful operations” in the area. The Philippine task force stated that they had claimed jurisdiction, or as they termed, “maritime domain awareness” over the West Philippine Sea.

This Developed China As The US And Philippines Carry Out Annual Military Drills

This transpires at the same time the Philippines and the United States are conducting their joint military exercises which include South China Sea conflict simulations. China has condemned these military drills, stating that they undermine “regional strategic stability.”

Existing Strains From South China Sea

The Philippines and China have a strained relationship due to the South China Sea conflict which is considered the epicenter of China’s disputes with the Philippines. Dominating the region are multiple reefs and islands captured by the two countries as claimed over. In his three years of being in office, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has shifted the Philippines position to more aggressively defend their territorial waters.

China Gathers Proof for Legal Action Against Filipino Operatives

According to ‘CCTV’, China’s coast guard supposedly gathered proof of “illegal activities (by/of) Filipinos” which consisted of removing ‘debris’ such as plastic bottles and wooden sticks from Sandy Cay. CCTV reported that there were attempts from the Philippines to access the Sandy Cay Reef but were met with Chinese vessels in every successive attempt.