The latest geopolitical development in the tension-filled South China Sea is Beijing’s installation of ballistic missiles launching pads in three atolls in the West Philippine Sea—Zamora, Kagitingan and Panganiban Reefs—all within the Philippines’ 200-nautical mile special economic zone (EEZ) under the UN Convention on the Law of the Seas (Unclos). Their names in the international maps are Fiery Cross (Zamora), Subi (Kagitingan) and Mischief (Panganiban) reefs. Originally, these reefs, under international law, were in international waters and under nobody’s control, governance nor occupation of any sovereign state or country.

Santos G. H. A. (2018, May 7). China will of course merely ignore you. The Manila Times, p. B6.