Tungsten　carbide　(WC)　reinforced　highly　oriented　graphite　flake　composites　were　obtained　using　a　combined　process　of　surface-coating　and　spark　plasma　sintering　techniques.　Uniform　and　continuous　three-dimensional　WC　skeleton　was　formed　in　the　samples　with　WC　concentration　higher　than　7　vol%,　rendering　the　resulting　dense　composites　light,　mechanical　strong,　high　thermal　conductive　and　with　low　thermal　expansion.　The　skeleton　architecture　played　a　role　of　thermal　expansion　constraint　which　remarkably　reduced　the　thermal　expansion　from　28　×　10−6　K−1　for　highly　oriented　graphite　matrix　to　~5　×　10−6　K−1　for　the　composite　with　26　vol%　WC　in　the　direction　parallel　to　the　sintering　pressure.　Concurrently,　the　composite　with　26　vol%　WC　exhibited　bending　strength　up　to　~95　MPa,　thermal　conductivity　up　to　~381　W·m−1·K−1　in　direction　perpendicular　to　the　sintering　pressure.　The　created　highly　oriented　graphite-based　composites　with　uniform　3D　ceramic　reinforcement　are　expected　to　be　applied　in　thermal　management　of　current　demanding　situation.　©　2020　Elsevier　Ltd