The Philippine military responded to the landing of Chinese forces on Sandy Cay reef by carrying out a similar operation, reports the Philippine News Agency. On April 27, the National Operational-Tactical Group West Philippine Sea carried out an interagency maritime operation.

Since 1953, China has drawn an arbitrary maritime boundary known as the "nine-dash line" in the South China Sea, claiming that 90% of the sea is its own. This has led to conflicts with the Philippines, as well as with Vietnam, Malaysia, and Brunei for over 90 years.

The standoff over Sandy Cay, which lies close to military outposts built by both Beijing and Manila, was the latest between the two nations.