China claims sovereignty over nearly the whole South China Sea, an important waterway for greater than $3 trillion of annual ship-borne commerce, placing it at odds with Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam.
A 2016 arbitration ruling invalidated China’s expansive declare however Beijing doesn’t recognise the choice.
On Thursday, the Philippines stated its coast guard and fisheries bureau had collectively carried out a maritime area consciousness flight over the Kalayaan Islands, the Philippine identify for Spratly Islands.
