Spratly Islands dispute
The Spratly Islands dispute is an ongoing territorial dispute among Brunei, China (PRC), Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan (ROC), and Vietnam concerning "ownership" of the Spratly Islands, a group of islands and associated "maritime features" (reefs, banks, and cays etc.) located in the South China Sea. The dispute is characterized by diplomatic stalemate and the employment of military pressure techniques (such as military occupation of disputed territory) in the advancement of national territorial claims.