# territorial disputes

China Films Philippine Vessel Dumping ‘Unknown Object’ Near Spratly Islands, Raising Tensions in the South China Sea

Chinese authorities released footage showing a Philippine Coast Guard vessel discarding an unidentified object near the Spratly Islands on Feb. 16, a small incident that nevertheless amplifies tensions in the contested South China Sea. The episode highlights how filmed encounters and the deployment of equipment at sea serve as instruments of strategic signaling between Manila and Beijing.