Johnson South Reef Skirmish

Date: March 14, 1988 • Location: Tagbita, Philippines

This milestone marked the outbreak and beginning of this historic period, which spanned 1988.

China defeated Vietnam in a naval altercation while attempting to establish oceanographic observation posts on the Spratly Islands.

The Johnson South Reef skirmish took place on 14 March 1988 between military forces of China and Vietnam, on the Johnson South Reef in the Union Banks region of the Spratly Islands, in the South China Sea.