The Philippine Army captured an island in the South China Sea.

The Philippine army conducted exercises in the disputed South China Sea. It was announced that an island was captured as part of the exercises.

CHINESE WARSHIPS OBSERVED FROM AFAR

Chief of Staff General Romeo Brawner made statements regarding the two-week military exercise that began on November 4. Brawner emphasized that warships belonging to the Chinese navy were observing from a distance and that this situation "added realism to the exercises," reporting that an island was captured as part of the exercise.

Brawner noted that the exercise, which is stated not to be directed against any country, "underscored the Philippine army's readiness to defend the country's sovereignty at all costs," adding, "We warn our neighbors or any foreign power that we can defend our islands."

No statement has yet been made by China regarding the developments.

SOUTH CHINA SEA ISSUE

Since the end of World War II, when coastal countries gained their independence, the South China Sea has been at the center of sovereignty disputes among regional countries.

China first claimed sovereignty over 80% of the South China Sea with a map published in 1947, while the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, and Malaysia also assert rights in the resource-rich region.

China's construction of bases on disputed islands in the region, along with its military presence and civilian ship fleets, has faced opposition not only from regional countries but also from the United States. In a ruling in 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague determined that China's unilateral claims of sovereignty in the South China Sea were not legal, following a complaint from the Philippines.