Chinese amphibious warships, including a helicopter-carrying assault ship, have staged a show of force in the South China Sea, supporting Beijing's territorial claims in the contested region. Newsweek has reached out to the Chinese Defense Ministry for comment by email.

China and the Philippines have each unfurled their national flags on tiny sandbars in the South China Sea, staking competing sovereignty claims in strategic waters seen as a potential flashpoint for global conflict.

The standoff over Sandy Cay, which lies close to military outposts built by both Beijing and Manila, was the latest between the two nations.