This massive, crumbling shipwreck-turned-military station has become the latest flashpoint in tense US-China relations. Take a look inside.

Thu, 08/10/2023 - 05:01

BRP Sierra Madre — The Philippines deliberately ran the Sierra Madre, a World War II-era warship, aground in 1999 to reinforce its sovereignty claims in the South China Sea.
Erik De Castro/Reuters

The Philippines turned a crumbling warship into a military outpost in the South China Sea.
The ship was deliberately run aground to reinforce their sovereignty claims in the region.
China has repeatedly asked the Philippines to tow the ship away since it ran aground in 1999.

A high seas scuffle between the Chinese and Philippine coast guards thousands of miles from the US mainland prompted the State Department to chastise China this week.