The South China Sea has long been a point of contention between various countries, with multiple nations laying claim to different islands and territories within the sea. In recent years, China has been accused of land reclamation and island building in the disputed area, leading to concerns from other nations and accusations of violating international law.

Based on a recent South China Morning Post report, the Philippines is concerned about China's alleged land reclamation activities in the South China Sea. As shown by satellite images and Western officials, new land formations have appeared in the sea around the Spratly Islands, where a Chinese vessel with a hydraulic excavator has been seen operating.

The Philippines' foreign ministry has stated that these activities violate the self-restraint provisions of the South China Sea Declaration of Conduct and the 2016 arbitral ruling.

South China Sea Concerns

China claims nearly the whole resource-rich South China Sea, through which trillions of dollars in trade travel each year. The other claimants are the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan.

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In recent years, China's actions in the South China Sea have prompted other nations to step up their defense spending and undertake their land reclamation work. Vietnam, for example, has expanded dredging and landfill work at several Spratly outposts this year, according to a report by the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative.

Bloomberg reported Tuesday, Dec. 20, citing satellite imagery from US authorities, that new land formations have appeared in the sea around the disputed Spratly Islands, where a Chinese vessel with a hydraulic excavator has been spotted operating over the years.

Based on the report, China is constructing multiple artificial land features in the South China Sea, an unprecedented action that Western officials say is part of Beijing's long-running drive to reinforce claims to disputed territory in a region critical to global trade.

International Court Rulings

China has ignored the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling that its historical claim to the South China Sea is without basis.

According to reports, the Philippines ministry's statement comes just a week after Manila filed a diplomatic protest against Beijing after a Chinese coastguard vessel seized debris from a Chinese rocket that had been retrieved by a Philippine navy vessel. 

The US State Department has supported the Philippines and called on China to "respect international law."

The Chinese embassy in Manila denied using force to seize the debris and claimed that the handover occurred after a "friendly consultation." In response to the Philippines' concerns over land reclamation in the South China Sea, the Chinese embassy called the report "fake news."

Meanwhile, CNA reported that the Chinese embassy shot back on Tuesday, accusing the US of using the dispute to "stir up troubles." It recognized "differences" with Manila but did not explicitly address the alleged swarming incidents. 

Meanwhile, Philippine President Marcos Jr. has stated that he will not allow China to violate the country's maritime rights, in contrast to his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, who hesitated to criticize the juggernaut economy.

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