Philippines Asserts Sovereignty Over Contested Islands Amid Tensions with China

The Philippines has set up buoys carrying its flag around the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea to assert its sovereignty over the contested region, where China, Taiwan, and Vietnam also claim control. The move comes as China continues to deploy navy and maritime vessels and build manmade islands on the reefs. The Philippines previously installed five navigational buoys in May 2022. Ownership over the Spratly Islands has long been contested, with China claiming almost the entire South China Sea, despite an international ruling invalidating its claims in 2016.