The Philippines criticised a "reckless" report from Chinese state media on Monday, which claimed that a contested reef in the South China Sea was under Beijing's control, asserting that the "status quo" remains unchanged,

Philippine officials say a mission visited Sandy Cay Reef in disputed South China Sea and unfurled the national flag.

The competing claims are reigniting tensions in the South China Sea and coincide with joint military drills between the U.S. and the Philippines.