South China Sea

Sandy Cay lies just a few nautical miles from Thitu Island, the largest Philippine military outpost in the Spratly Islands.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has pledged to bolster Manila's capacity to push back against Beijing's growing assertiveness in the South China Sea.

The Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative estimates that Hanoi has created 641 new acres of land in the disputed Spratly Islands since June.

The informal grouping, established last May, is intended to counter China's assertive behavior in the South China Sea.

The involvement of an extra-regional great power in a small power’s territorial disputes with China may prove counterproductive.

Tensions over Scarborough Shoal have increased markedly since the middle of last year, when Beijing and Manila reached an "understanding" over another disputed shoal.

Manila has allocated nearly $2 billion for the acquisition of a submarine fleet to help defend its dispersed island geography.

Speaking in Manila, Iwaya Takeshi said that his country's partnership with Southeast Asia was "vital for regional peace and stability,”

2025 is shaping up as another year of friction and contention in disputed parts of the South China Sea.

On December 4, Chinese ships, including a navy vessel, confronted Philippine vessels close to a disputed shoal in the South China Sea.

The confrontations at Scarborough and Sabina shoals indicate that Beijing has no intention of easing off on its pressure campaign in disputed waters.

Sugiono has played down the significance of a joint statement that appeared to recognize China's expansive claims in the South China Sea.