Why has the South China Sea become so contentious?

On Tuesday, the Philippines lodged accusations against China's coast guard, alleging harassment and damage to one of its boats within a disputed section of the South China Sea. The Philippines rejected China's assertion that it had expelled two vessels from the contested shoal. According to the Philippine coast guard, its two vessels remained steadfast at the Scarborough Shoal, a significant focal point in the South China Sea dispute. However, one of the Philippine boats incurred damage due to the deployment of water cannons by two Chinese coast guard ships. #Philippines #China #SouthChinaSea #Conflict #BRPBagacay #MaritimeDispute #WaterCannonAttack #Diplomacy #InternationalRelations #SecurityConcerns ~PR.152~ED.155~GR.121~