Citing what it describes as "historic rights"—which The Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled in 2016 had no legal basis—China asserts sovereignty over most of the maritime features in the South China Sea, overlapping with its neighbors' claims.
As part of its efforts to tighten control over the waters, China maintains a persistent presence of naval and coast guard vessels, supported by reefs that have been expanded into outposts with military infrastructure, including aviation and defensive facilities.
