The Philippines pushed back by unfurling its own flag at disputed Sandy Cay, condemning China's "illegal presence."

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 Philippines, which disputes China's claim to the sandbank, responds by releasing a photo of its own forces on another.