China says six Filipinos landed on a tiny outcropping that both countries claim in the South China Sea, days after photos emerged of Chinese coast guard officers displaying a Chinese flag on the same group of sandbars. The back and forth over Sandy Cay is the latest flare-up in a long-running dispute between the two countries over territory in the South China Sea, which China claims almost in its entirety.

Amid the brewing tensions in the Indo-Pacific region, China and the Philippines have displayed their respective national flags in competing photos on a disputed sandbank in the South China Sea. The region in question is Sandy Cay, which is part of the disputed Spratly Islands. The displays from both nations came days after the US and the Philippines launched their annual joint military drills called “Balikatan”, or “shoulder to shoulder”. According to The Guardian, this year the drills will include an integrated air and missile defence simulation for the first time. On Thursday, the Chinese state media reported that the country’s Coast Guard landed on the disputed reef two weeks ago, unfurled a flag and “exercised sovereign jurisdiction”.

Four Chinese coastguard officials dressed in black were pictured unfurling their country's flag on a reef called Sandy Cay. This sankbank lies close to Thitu Island, also known as Pag-asa, which is home to a Philippine military outpost. The provocative stunt is the latest move from Beijing to exert influence over the South China Sea - which China claims as part of its territorial waters. n return, the Philippines said on Sunday that its officails had also landed on three sandbanks. They posed with their own national flag for a photo which mimicked that released by China - although it is unclear if this picture was also on Sandy Cay. "This operation reflects the unwavering dedication and commitment of the Philippine Government to uphold the country's sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction in the West Philippine Sea," a National Task Force West Philippine Sea spokesperson said.