--- description: Philippine and Vietnamese navy delegations will hold a beach party on the disputed island of Southwest Cay, but China has not been invited title: Spratly Islands: Vietnamese and Philippine Navies Hold Party image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt121e4837e6a48c6f/69868a39169ab08125278c21/rtr3j9sr.jpg?branch=production&width=1920&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [World](/section/world/) ## World Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # The Vietnamese and Filipinos Throw a Beach Party, but China Isn't Invited by [Michelle Arrouas](/author/michelle-arrouas/) ## Michelle Arrouas Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Apr 11, 2014 5:47 AM CUT  Philippine marines sail among the Spratly Islands on March 31, 2014\. In June, a 40-strong delegation will visit their Vietnamese counterparts for a beach party Philippine marines sail among the Spratly Islands on March 31, 2014\. In June, a 40-strong delegation will visit their Vietnamese counterparts for a beach partyErik de Castro—Reuters by [Michelle Arrouas](/author/michelle-arrouas/) ## Michelle Arrouas Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Apr 11, 2014 5:47 AM CUT The Philippine and Vietnamese navies will hold a beach party to bond over their common mistrust of China, and forget — just for a day — their mistrust of each other. Reuters [reports](http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/11/us-philippines-vietnam-insight-idUSBREA3901520140411 "undefined") that in June a delegation from the Philippine navy will travel to the disputed island of Southwest Cay, currently held by Vietnam. There, sailors from the two navies will drink beer, listen to music and play volleyball in celebration of their improved relations. The islet is part of the disputed Spratly Islands, of which parts are claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Taiwan and China. The beach party symbolizes the way in which smaller countries have had to find new alliances in order to contain China’s growing might. Southwest Cay was cunningly seized from the Philippines by Vietnam 40 years ago, when its Philippine occupiers left it momentarily to visit another island. However, these days the two nations share concerns over China’s assertiveness and recently agreed to expand cooperation. China warned them not to do joint military exercises, so a barbecue and beach volleyball will have to do for now. \[[Reuters](http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/11/us-philippines-vietnam-insight-idUSBREA3901520140411 "undefined")\] ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/59050/vietnam-philippines-china-spratly/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/59050/vietnam-philippines-china-spratly/"},"headline":"The Vietnamese and Filipinos Throw a Beach Party, but China Isn't Invited","datePublished":"2014-04-11T05:47:07.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-21T07:15:35.068Z","description":"A day of beer, music and volleyball is being held on a disputed South China Sea island to prove a point: that China's territorial aggressiveness isn't winning it any friends.","url":"https://time.com/59050/vietnam-philippines-china-spratly/","keywords":["Vietnam","Navy","Philippines","Asia","South China Sea"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt121e4837e6a48c6f/69868a39169ab08125278c21/rtr3j9sr.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Michelle Arrouas","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/michelle-arrouas/"}],"articleSection":"World","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt121e4837e6a48c6f/69868a39169ab08125278c21/rtr3j9sr.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Members of Philippine marines are transported on rubber boat from a patrol ship, after mission at disputed Second Thomas Shoal, as they return to naval forces camp in Palawan","caption":"Members of Philippine marines are transported on rubber boat from a patrol ship, after mission at disputed Second Thomas Shoal, as they return to naval forces camp in Palawan","creditText":"Erik de Castro—Reuters","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/world/","name":"World"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/59050/vietnam-philippines-china-spratly/","name":"The Vietnamese and Filipinos Throw a Beach Party, but China Isn't Invited"}}]}] ```