Vietnamese and Philippine troops got together on a disputed island in the South China Sea on Sunday to play soccer and volleyball, as well as drink beer, in a display of unity that will not go unnoticed in Beijing.
Philippine naval officials billed the event on the Vietnamese-held island as a chance to show the world there can be harmony in the South China Sea despite a web of overlapping claims to the potentially energy-rich waters. The gathering on Southwest Cay in the Spratly archipelago also symbolizes how once-suspicious neighbors are cooperating in the face of China's growing assertiveness in disputed waters.
About 40 Philippine naval personnel sailed to the island for the daylong event, Philippine naval officials said.