Philippines Asserts Sovereignty in South China Sea with Buoys.

The Philippines has installed navigational buoys in five areas within its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the South China Sea, including the disputed Spratly islands, to assert its sovereignty. The move comes amid China's increasingly aggressive actions in the region, and the Philippines' desire to strengthen ties with the US. China claims almost the entire South China Sea, but its claim was invalidated by an international arbitration ruling in 2016. Other countries, including Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam, also have claims in the region.