Among contenders of disputed islands in the South China Sea, the Philippines is one of the fiercest. Legal documents determining the territorial scope of the country, including the Paris Treaty and Washington Treaty signed between the US and Spain in 1898 and 1900, and a treaty between the US and Britain signed in 1930, have all excluded the Nansha Islands and Huangyan Island from the Philippines' territories. Starting from 1933, Manila started to show an appetite for the islands, claiming they should belong to them on the grounds of geographical vicinity.  In 1971, the Philippines announced claims to islands adjacent to its territory in Nansha. Since 2013, the Philippines has been seeking UN arbitration to recognize its claims. Beijing has refused to take part in the arbitration, warning it could hurt bilateral ties.