A 2016 ruling in an arbitration case initiated by the Philippines found China’s extensive claims to the area unlawful. As a low-tide elevation within 200 nautical miles of the Philippine coast, Sabina Shoal is part of the sea floor over which Manila has exclusive economic rights under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

The Philippines said a Coast Guard vessel that was deployed at a South China Sea shoal whose ownership is in dispute with China is returning to its homeport.

The Philippines is sending a new vessel to Sabina Shoal, replacing its coast guard ship Teresa Magbanua, which had a five-month deployment in the contested South China Sea region. This action, likely to provoke China,

Maritime and aerial spats in the South China Sea between China and the Philippines, Washington’s oldest treaty ally in the Indo-Pacific, will be a key talking point in high-level meetings between the U.

The Philippines has concluded the deployment of its coast guard vessel, Teresa Magbanua, in the contested Sabina Shoal after a five-month operation monitoring suspected Chinese reclamation activities.

The Philippines is sending a new vessel to replace the coast guard ship Teresa Magbanua at Sabina Shoal in the South China Sea after the original ship returned to port.

The Philippines will stick to its position on Sabina Shoal, it said on Thursday, even while exploring ways to ease tension in the area during "frank and candid" talks with China on managing disputes in the key waterway of the South China Sea.

Philippine maritime council says another vessel will ‘immediately take over’ for ship China says stayed illegally in disputed Spratlys.