Beijing seizes the small sand in the South China Sea

The government media reported that the Chinese Coast Guard seized a small sand bank in the South China Sea, in the escalation of a regional conflict with the Philippines.

CCTV state broadcaster released pictures of four officers, wearing all black and carrying the Chinese flag, and stood on the disputed coral reefs from Sandy Cay in the Spatly Islands.

CCTV said China “carried out naval control and exercises sovereign state” over the coral reefs earlier in April.

Both China and the Philippines have dominated demands in various islands. The Philippines later said on Sunday that it had landed on three sandy jokes, as she released a picture of the officers carrying their national flag in a picture that mimics the Chinese image.

It is not clear whether one of the sandy girls that Filipino security forces fell is Sandy Kay as well.

In a statement.

“This process reflects the constant dedication and adherence to the Philippine government to support sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction in the Western Philippine Sea,” the statement said.

The conflict between the two countries was escalating, with Repeated confrontations Including ships colliding and spares.

Sandy Kai near a Filipino military site on Thuato Island, Also known as Pag-ESA, which Manila uses to track Chinese movements in the region.

There is no sign that China permanently occupies an island of 200 square meters and that the Coast Guard has left.

The White House said that the reports of China, which acquired coral reefs “related to the depth if it was true.”

In the comments I reported Financial Times, James Hewitt, a US National Security Council spokesman, warned that “such actions threaten regional stability and violate international law,” adding that the White House was “closely with our partners.”

This Chinese move comes at a time when the United States and the Philippine forces are implementing the annual war scenario exercises – called Balikan exercises. China criticized the training as provocative.

Up to 17,000 individuals participate in the coming days. The missiles were launched from the US Air Defense Defense System from the northern Philippines coast, which is the second living fire test of the regime and its first deployment on the Philippines. The exercises were also assigned to feature an anti -ship missile system in the United States.

The Philippine Army says that the training is a rehearsal of national defense, but it insists that it is not directed to any specific country.

“This type of training is invaluable to us,” said John Lehan, an officer in the third seas regiment.

The exercise helped calm fears between some American allies that Donald Trump may push his military support years ago in the region.

On a visit to Manila last month, US Defense Secretary Beit Higseth said that Washington “doubled” in its alliance with the country and was designed to “re -establish deterrence” against China.

There have been quarrels on land in the South China Sea for several centuries, but tension has grown in recent years.

China is largely claiming that the largest part of the land in an area was deported by the so -called “nine warm line”. The line includes nine stretching stretching south and east of the southern Hinan province. Beijing has supported its extensive claims with Al -Jazeera and Navy construction patrols.

The owners of competing claims such as Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei claimed claims in the islands and different areas of the sea.