Vietnamese nationals protest China's territorial claims in the Spratly islands in the South China ... [+] Sea on July 12, 2016 in Manila. However, the decision has caused China to amend its behavior, and has emboldened other states—including the U.S.—to challenge China under international law. For years, China has been infringing upon neighbors’ sovereignty in areas of the South China Sea that legally belong to its neighbors under UNCLOS. Philippine Defence ... [+] Secretary Delfin Lorenzana flew to the South China Sea island that day, brushing off a Chinese military and asserting Manila's territorial claim. Its last known island‑building activity anywhere in the South China Sea was in the Paracels in mid‑2017, although it has fortified existing infrastructure.

Source: Forbes July 19, 2021 16:18 UTC