The House of Representatives condemned China on Monday over what it called “provocative” yet “cheap stunts” at the reef of Sandy Cay, positioned just four nautical miles from a Philippine military outpost in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

The incident pertains to reports of China claiming maritime control and sovereign jurisdiction over the Sandy Cay, which it referred to as Tiexian Reef, just this month. Photographs released by the Chinese state broadcaster CCTV showed four black-clad officers holding a Chinese flag on the white surface reef.

The lower chamber’s leader, Speaker Martin Romualdez, asserted that the tiny sandbank is “unquestionably” part of the Philippines’ sovereignty, within the country’s exclusive economic zone, and that China should in no way meddle in it, as doing so breaches and is an affront to international law.

“I call on China: Cease these reckless provocations. Respect international law. Stop these cheap stunts,” Romualdez declared. “We have continuously and effectively exercised jurisdiction over it. The 2016 Arbitral Award has already invalidated China’s sweeping and baseless claims across the South China Sea (SCS), including Sandy Cay.”

China has territorial claims in nearly the entire SCS, which overlaps the WPS, notwithstanding a 2016 arbitral ruling that deemed its sovereignty assertion invalid and baseless.

Though the two countries forged a pact in July last year to de-escalate maritime tensions in the disputed sea, the Philippines and China have persistently been embroiled in a series of aggressive confrontations, with the latter firing water cannons, military-grade lasers, and deploying missiles against Philippine troops and vessels.

According to Romualdez, the unfurling of a Chinese flag and the so-called “inspection” activities are nothing but a desperate move, an orchestrated spectacle intended to mislead and bolster Beijing’s “illegitimate” territorial claims in the WPS.

Zambales Rep. Jefferson Khonghun, whose province is greatly affected by China’s “monster” ship patrolling in its waters, also denounced this recent action by Beijing, calling it a “brazen affront” to Philippine sovereignty and international law.

Khonghun lamented that the Philippines has always been calling for peace resolutions, and is “grounded in the rule of law and mutual respect.” He, however, pointed out that China must not mistake this for “weakness,” as the Philippines will never waver in asserting sovereignty in its waters.

“We have every right and every duty to defend what is ours,” he stressed. “Through strong alliances and a steadfast commitment to the rule of law, we show the world that we will not yield, we will not stop asserting sovereignty over our territory and exclusive economic zone.”

Meanwhile, former Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate warned that in the face of China’s continued encroachment in the country’s waters, the Philippines must also be wary of “falling into the trap” of the United States, a long-time ally which is also embroiled in a conflict with Beijing.

"While we must unite against Chinese interference, we must also be vigilant against the use of other foreign powers, including the United States, for their own hegemonic interests. The West Philippine Sea must not become a battlefield by imperialists,” he averred.

China’s seizing of Sandy Cay came amid the ongoing Balikatan exercise, or the annual war scenario drills between the Philippines and the US, which China viewed as provocative.

The US, along with other key allies of the country, such as Japan, has consistently stood by the Philippines and strongly condemned China's persistent provocation in the WPS.

China has repeatedly warned that the US, not being a party to the issues involving the SCS, has “no right to meddle” in the maritime issues between Beijing and Manila.