[1/2] A Philippine Coast Guard personnel looks through a binocular while conducting a resupply mission for Filipino troops stationed at a grounded warship in the South China Sea, October 4, 2023. The West Philippine Sea is Manila's term for waters in the South China Sea that fall within its 200-nautical mile EEZ. An international tribunal invalidated China's claim to 90% of the South China Sea in 2016, but Beijing does not recognise the ruling. The Philippines is ramping up efforts to counter what it describes as China's "aggressive activities" in the South China Sea, which has also become a naval flashpoint for Chinese and U.S. tension. China has accused the Philippines of enlisting "foreign forces" to patrol the South China Sea and stirring up trouble.

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Persons: Adrian Portugal, Julian Felipe Reef, Karen Lema, Christopher Cushing Organizations: Philippine Coast Guard, REUTERS, Rights, South China, Embassy, Thomson Locations: South China, Rights MANILA, South, Manila, Philippines, West Philippine, Philippine, Beijing, China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei, United States, Australia, The Philippines