In a decades-long dispute over ownership of parts of the sea, multiple countries, including China, have been building on small shoals and reefs to bolster their claims. The South China Sea is at the center of this conflict, with conflicting claims from various countries bordering the area.
China’s expansive claim, known as the nine-dash line, covers nearly the entire sea, a claim that has been rejected by an international tribunal. Despite this rejection, China has continued to assert control over features in the sea, such as Scarborough Shoal, which lies within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone but is controlled by China.
China has been particularly active in enlarging small shoals, reefs, and atolls in the South China Sea, transforming them into military installations with radar towers, observation posts, runways, and even missile systems. Other countries in the region have also been fortifying their positions, with the Philippines recently announcing plans to fortify the islands they occupy.
The United States, although not claiming any part of the South China Sea, has been conducting freedom of navigation operations in the area and has bases surrounding the region. Tensions have escalated in the region, with reports of Chinese ships firing water cannons at Philippine vessels.
China maintains that its actions in the South China Sea are within its rights and sovereignty, urging other countries to respect its territorial claims. The dispute over the South China Sea remains a contentious issue, with multiple countries vying for control and asserting their presence in the region.