China has asserted its maritime authority over Sandy Cay, an uninhabited reef in the contested South China Sea, raising its national flag just a few kilometres from a key Philippine military installation, according to a report by The Japan Times.
Photographs published by Chinese state media on Saturday showed members of the China Coast Guard unfurling the flag on Sandy Cay reef, referred to as Tiexian Jiao in China, earlier this month. The reef lies within the Spratly Islands, a group of features claimed by Taiwan, Vietnam, and the Philippines, in addition to China.
Sandy Cay is located just over 3 kilometres from Thitu Island – known locally as Pag-asa Island – which hosts Philippine military facilities, including a military-grade airstrip and a small civilian population of around 250 residents.
According to the Global Times, coast guard personnel conducted an inspection of Sandy Cay to monitor and document alleged illegal activities, while also undertaking a clean-up operation, collecting plastic bottles, wooden debris, and other waste found on the reef.
Tensions rise around Sandy Cay and the South China Sea
In January, Beijing claimed that its forces had intercepted and “dissuaded” Philippine naval vessels operating near the reef. China alleged that these vessels had been attempting an “illegal landing and sand sample collection”.
In response, the Philippines has deployed its coast guard to the area to monitor Chinese activity and investigate whether any land reclamation efforts are underway. China maintains that Sandy Cay, which measures approximately 200 square metres, is a natural formation rather than an artificial island. Under international law, this status would entitle it to a 12-nautical-mile (22-kilometre) territorial sea, overlapping with the waters surrounding Thitu Island.
Between 2013 and 2016, China carried out an extensive land reclamation campaign across the South China Sea, establishing several military outposts as part of efforts to consolidate its claim over nearly 90 per cent of the region. The waters are of strategic importance, with trillions of dollars’ worth of trade passing through annually.
Commenting on the developments, Euan Graham, a regional security expert at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, noted on X (formerly Twitter) that China’s actions regarding Sandy Cay appear aimed at reinforcing the legal standing of its claim to the nearby Subi Reef, which now hosts a large artificial port and airfield. He described the situation as an example of “lawfare” supporting broader expansionist objectives.
