1961-1963

1971
In the 1960s, South Vietnam and
the Republic of China (Taiwan) After Taiwanese troops
clashed over Spratly Islands attacked and shot at a
features, with South Vietnam Philippine fishing boat on Itu
eventually gaining control in 1963. Aba, Philippines
President Marcos
formally incorporated
the islands adjacent to its
territory in the Spratlys, which
they named Kalayaan, into
Palawan Province in 1972,
announcing their claim.

1974
The islands were the scene of a
1978
naval battle between China and
Philippine president
then South Vietnam in
Ferdinand E. Marcos
January 1974, after
incorporated the Kalayaan Island
which
Group, including Freedomland or
China gained control of
Colonia St. John, into the national
the entire archipelago.
territory as the Municipality of
Kalayaan on June 11, 1978.

1988
1993
The Johnson South
Reef Skirmish of 1988 was a naval JMSU Agreement, signed
battle that took place between in1993 by 3 gas companies
Chinese and Vietnamese of China, Philippines and Vietnam,
forces over Johnson South allowed joint seismic exploration in the
Reef in the Spratly Islands South China Sea but faced opposition,
on March 14, 1988. particularly from the Philippines, over
sovereignty concerns.
 1995
In February 1995, Philippine
authorities detected eight Chinese
ships near the Philippine-claimed

Mischief Reef, and in

April
of that year, they
announced the arrest of
62 Chinese fishermen in the area,
charging them with violating
international law.
 2002
In 2002, ASEAN and China signed
the Declaration on the Conduct of
Parties in the South China Sea
(DOC) to promote a
peaceful resolution of
disputes among the
involved countries.
2012
China takes control of Scarborough
Shoal after a tense standoff between
Chinese coast guard ships and a
Philippine naval vessel that
had stopped a Chinese
fishing boat to inspect it.
2016
According to the Permanent Court
of Arbitration, it has been
determined that the Philippines
holds exclusive sovereign
rights over the West
Philippine Sea (part of the
South China Sea) and that China's
"nine-dash line" claim is invalid.
2009
China submitted its nine-
dash line map to the United
Nations, asserting sovereignty over
the South China Sea islands and
waters, in response to Vietnam and
Malaysia's applications for
extended continental shelves,
which also led to protests from
Philippines and Indonesia to
China's claims.
2013
Philippines initiates
an international l
arbitration case under UNCLOS
against China's sovereignty claims to
the Spratly Islands and Scarborough
Shoal, marking the first instance of a
country bringing a claim against China
under UNCLOS regarding the issue,
despite China's rejection and non-
participation in the process.
2018
During a "freedom of navigation"
operation near the China-claimed
Gaven Reef in the disputed Spratly
Islands, a Chinese
destroyer came within 41
meters of the USS
Decatur, narrowly avoiding a
collision, according to the US Navy.