Why has the South China Sea become so contentious?

Escalating Tensions in the South China Sea: Philippines Deploys Ships Amidst Dispute

Amidst escalating tensions in the South China Sea, the Philippines has taken a decisive step, deploying ships to a disputed area where it alleges China is constructing an artificial island. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr's office issued a statement confirming the deployment, emphasising the need to monitor what it termed as "supposed illegal activities" by China. Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela corroborated these claims, citing evidence of small-scale reclamation at the Sabina Shoal, known as Escoda by Manila. Despite these assertions, the Chinese embassy in Manila has yet to respond, potentially exacerbating bilateral rifts. The Philippine national security adviser has even called for the expulsion of Chinese diplomats over an alleged leak regarding a phone conversation about the maritime dispute. #SouthChinaSea #Philippines #China #Tensions #Escalation #MaritimeDispute #TerritorialConflict #MilitaryDeployment #DiplomaticRelations #Geopolitics #NavalPresence #RegionalSecurity #InternationalRelations #ForeignPolicy #ConflictResolution ~HT.97~PR.152~ED.103~