BEIJING (AP) — China says six Filipinos landed on a tiny outcropping that both countries claim in the South China Sea, days after photos emerged of Chinese coast guard officers displaying a Chinese flag on the same group of sandbars.

The Philippine military responded to the landing of Chinese forces on Sandy Cay reef by carrying out a similar operation, reports the Philippine News Agency. On April 27, the National Operational-Tactical Group West Philippine Sea carried out an interagency maritime operation.

The Philippine military on Sunday hit back at China by planting a flag at the disputed Sandy Cay reef days after Beijing had conducted a similar operation, the Philippine News Agency reported. Beijing's coast guard had said that it ‘dealt with’ a situation involving six Filipinos who it accused of illegally landing on the reef.