China, Philippines engage in 'war of selfies' on disputed South China Sea reef

Summary

Ongoing dispute

China and the Philippines are engaged in a dispute over a reef in the South China Sea after both countries had members of their military pose for pictures with their countries respective flags on the sand barges.

Response

China has accused the Philippines of “illegally’ landing on the islands while Manila says Beijing is threatening to raise tensions, while both nations claim sovereignty over the reef.

History

The latest dispute comes after China's military drove out Philippine fishing vessels earlier this year, and roughly eight years after Beijing accused the Philippines military of trying to build structures on the reef.

China and the Philippines are reportedly engaged in a so-called "war of selfies" over a disputed reef in the South China Sea. — Image credit: Associated Press via National Task Force West Philippine Sea

This recording was made using enhanced software.

Summary

Ongoing dispute

Response

China has accused the Philippines of “illegally’ landing on the islands while Manila says Beijing is threatening to raise tensions, while both nations claim sovereignty over the reef.

History

Full story

Beijing and Manila are engaged in a so-called “war of selfies” over a small disputed reef in the South China Sea. Both countries had their flags displayed on uninhabited barges known as Sandy Cay.

The Chinese refer to the small area as “Tiexian Reef.” It’s the latest in an ongoing dispute between the Philippines and China as Beijing lays claim to almost the entire region of the South China Sea.

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What happened?

The rise in tensions began last week when a Chinese state-run newspaper posted photos of coast guard members on Sandy Cay from earlier this month, including one picture of the officers hoisting a Chinese flag.

A few days later, on Sunday, April 28, members of the Philippines coast guard, navy and other authorities took pictures of them holding their country’s flag on the three sand barges.

Manila’s government said in a statement, “This operation reflects the unwavering dedication and commitment of the Philippine Government to uphold the country’s sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction in the West Philippine Sea.”

How has China responded?

The Chinese coast guard responded by calling the Filipino military members’ actions “illegal” and saying its officers had only gone to the sandbars “to conduct on-site verification and enforcement measures.” However, Beijing did not disclose the nature of the operations.

The Chinese media outlet that published the photos claimed Chinese coast guard officers went to the area in mid-April to clean up litter and in doing so decided to show the Chinese flag “to assert sovereignty.”

How has Manila responded?

The Philippines National Security Council, meanwhile, refuted any notion that Beijing had taken control of Sandy Cay. Officials urged Beijing and its coast guard “to act with restraint and not increase tensions in the West Philippine Sea.”

What is the background?

The nations have previously had disputes over the region, including earlier this year, when Chinese ships and a military helicopter forcefully pushed out fishing ships from the Philippines, reportedly conducting a scientific study. The Philippines sent the ships to the area despite several warnings from Chinese coast guard vessels.

Beijing also accused Manila’s armed forces of trying to build a structure on the sandbars roughly eight years ago.

Evan Hummel (Producer) contributed to this report.

Tags: China, military, Navy, Philippines, South China Sea

[LAUREN KEENAN]

BEIJING AND MANILA ARE ENGAGED IN A SO-CALLED “WAR OF SELFIES” OVER A SMALL DISPUTED REEF IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA.

BOTH COUNTRIES HAD THEIR FLAGS DISPLAYED ON THE UNINHABITED BARGES KNOWN AS THE SANDY CAY [KAY] OR AS THE CHINESE REFER TO AS THE “TIEXAN [TEX-EE-N] REEF”

IT’S THE LATEST IN AN ONGOING DISPUTE BETWEEN THE PHILIPPINES AND CHINA AS BEIJING LAYS CLAIM TO ALMOST THE ENTIRE REGION OF THE SOUTH CHINA SEA

THE RISE IN TENSIONS BEGAN LAST WEEK, WHEN A CHINESE STATE-RUN NEWSPAPER POSTED PHOTOS OF COAST GUARD OFFICERS ON SANDY CAY FROM EARLIER THIS MONTH, INCLUDING A PICTURE OF THE OFFICER HOISTING A CHINESE FLAG.

A FEW DAYS LATER, MEMBER OF THE PHILIPPINES COAST GUARD, NAVY AND OTHER AUTHORITIES TOOK PICTURES HOLDING THEIR COUNTRY’S FLAG ON THE THREE SAND BARGES.

MANILA’S GOVERNMENT SAYS THE DISPLAY SHOWS “THE UNWAVERING DEDICATION AND COMMITMENT OF THE PHILIPPINES GOVERNMENT TO UPHOLD THE COUNTRY’S SOVEREIGNTY, SOVEREIGN RIGHTS AND JURISDICTION IN THE WEST PHILIPPINE SEA.”

CHINA RESPONDED, CALLING THE FILIPINO MILITARY MEMBERS ACTIONS ILLEGAL AND SAY ITS OFFICERS HAD ONLY GONE TO THE SAND BARS “TO CONDUCT ON-SIE VERIFICATION AND ENFORCEMENT MEASURES.” BEIJING DID NOT DISCLOSE THE NATURE OF THE OPERATIONS.

THE CHINESE MEDIA OUTLET THAT PUBLISHED THE PHOTOS, CLAIMS CHINESE COAST GUARD OFFICERS WENT TO THE AREA IN MID-APRIL TO CLEAN UP LITTER AND IN DOING SO DECIDED TO SHOW THE CHINESE FLAG “TO ASSERT SOVEREIGNTY.

FILIPINO AUTHORITIES REFUTED ANY NOTION BEIJING HAD TAKEN CONTROL OF SANDY CAY. OFFICIALS URGED BEIJING AND ITS COAST GUARD TO “ACT WITH RESTRAINT AND NOT INCREASE TENSIONS IN THE WEST PHILIPPINE SEA.

THE NATIONS PREVIOUSLY HAD DISPUTES OVER THE REEF, INCLUDING EARLIER THIS YEAR WHEN CHINESE SHIPS AND A MILITARY HELICOPTER FORCEFULLY PUSHED AWAY FISHING SHIPS FROM THE PHILIPPINES REPORTEDLY CONDUCTING SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH. THE PHILIPPINES SENT THE VESSELS TO THE AREA DESPITE SEVERAL WARNINGS FROM CHINESE COAST GUARD PATROL SHIPS.

BEIJING ALSO ACCUSED MANILA’S MILITARY OF TRYING TO BUILD A STRUCTURE ON THE REEF ROUGHLY EIGHT YEARS AGO.

Why this story matters

The ongoing dispute over the South China Sea highlights escalating tensions between China and the Philippines, with implications for regional stability and international relations.

Sovereignty claims

The competing sovereignty claims over Sandy Cay illustrate the broader territorial disputes in the South China Sea, affecting national security and diplomatic relationships.

Military drills

The simultaneous military exercises involving the US and the Philippines underscore the strategic importance of the region and the alliances formed to counteract Chinese influence.

Geopolitical tensions

The heightened rivalry between the U.S., China, and regional nations reflects ongoing geopolitical tensions, raising concerns over potential conflicts that could have global repercussions.

Get the big picture

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Common ground

Across the articles, both China and the Philippines are publicly asserting their sovereignty claims over Sandy Cay, a disputed area in the South China Sea. The tension reflects broader geopolitical conflicts involving regional stability and the interests of external powers, particularly the United States, which is conducting military exercises in the area.

Diverging views

The articles present a divergence in perspective regarding sovereignty claims. Left-leaning sources highlight the narrative of Philippine sovereignty and its military partnerships with the U.S. In contrast, right-leaning pieces often stress China's claims of sovereignty and paint the Philippines' presence as illegal, emphasizing China's control efforts and resistance against perceived threats.

Global impact

The dispute over Sandy Cay is indicative of broader geopolitical tensions affecting international trade, maritime security, and military alliances. Actions in the South China Sea can influence global supply chains, involving nations beyond Asia as they react to escalated military presence from major powers like the U.S. and China.