Philippine authorities have released images of structures at a disputed reef they believe were placed there by China. The number of newly identified foreign objects has grown to six since the first structure was reported inside Scarborough Shoal's lagoon on May 30, a Philippine coast guard spokesperson said on Wednesday. Scarborough Shoal—known as Bajo de Masinloc in the Philippines and Huangyan Island in China—is one of the most sensitive flashpoints in the
South China Sea dispute.
Beijing has exercised de facto control over the feature since a tense standoff in 2012, but has so far not physically occupied it.
"We flew planes over Bajo de Masinloc, or Scarborough Shoal, to see what structures are being built there—whether it's a floating structure or a fixed structure," Philippine military chief Romeo Brawner Jr. told reporters Tuesday in Quezon City. "We will also send ships."
