China declares sovereignty over disputed reef in South China sea

The South China Sea has long been a source of tension between China and the Philippines, with the two countries making overlapping claims over a series of reefs and small islands in the area.

China has declared sovereignty over an uninhabited reef in the South China Sea, according to state media, setting the stage for an escalation of tensions with the Philippines over the disputed area.

China’s coast guard “implemented maritime control and exercised sovereign jurisdiction” over Sandy Cay in mid-April, state television channel CCTV reported Saturday.

The Philippines’ South China Sea task force on Sunday said military and coast guard personnel carried out an operation in Sandy Cay to reinforce Manila’s “routine and lawful exercise of maritime domain awareness and jurisdiction over the West Philippine Sea,” the term it uses for waters within its exclusive economic zone.

“The claim of occupation is fake news,” Philippine National Security Council Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya said, referring to reports that China has seized Sandy Cay. China’s Foreign Ministry didn’t respond to a request for comment.

The report came as troops from the Philippines and the US conduct annual military drills, which include preparations for conflict related to the South China Sea. China has opposed the war games, which it says disrupt “regional strategic stability.”

The South China Sea has long been a source of tension between China and the Philippines, with the two countries making overlapping claims over a series of reefs and small islands in the area.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has taken a relatively assertive approach to the issue since coming to power almost three years ago.

This marks China’s latest declaration of sovereignty in the disputed waters. China has long claimed sovereignty over the expansive area.

China’s coast guard collected evidence of “illegal activities” by Filipino personnel and cleared left-behind trash such as plastic bottles and wooden sticks, CCTV reported.

The Philippines has made multiple attempts to reach Sandy Cay since last year, with China’s coast guard repeatedly intercepting the vessels and warning them to leave, according to the CCTV report.