China yesterday said it had “supervised” a Philippine ship as it delivered supplies to a grounded vessel at a disputed reef in the South China Sea, after a string of tense encounters in the area this year.
Beijing claims almost all of the economically vital waterway and continues to press its assertions there, despite an international tribunal ruling that they have no legal basis.
Tensions between China and the Philippines have flared in recent months during a series of confrontations in the waters around the contested Second Thomas Shoal (Renai Shoal, 仁愛暗沙) and Sabina Shoal.
Photo: Reuters
However, in July, the two sides said they had reached a provisional deal on resupply missions to a Philippine ship, the Sierra Madre, which is grounded on the Second Thomas Shoal with a garrison on board, aimed at asserting Manila’s claims to the reef.
The China Coast Guard yesterday said that Manila had conducted a resupply mission “in accordance with the provisional agreement.”
The civilian vessel “delivered daily necessities to the illegally ‘grounded’ warship on Renai Reef,” China Coast Guard spokesman Liu Dejun (劉德軍) said.
Liu said the coast guard “questioned and confirmed the [identity of the] Philippine vessel and supervised the whole process.”
“It is hoped that the Philippines will keep its promise, meet China halfway, and jointly control the maritime situation,” he said.
A spokeswoman for the Philippine armed forces confirmed that Manila “was able to deliver essential supplies to our troops in the area”.
“We confirm the presence of Chinese vessels in the vicinity of Ayungin Shoal during our execution of [the] mission,” Colonel Francel Padilla said, using the Filipino term for the reef.
“Up to eight different Chinese vessels were monitored in the vicinity, but posed no threat,” she said.
“We remain vigilant and prepared to respond to any challenges in protecting our personnel and operations,” Padilla added
In June, a Filipino sailor lost a thumb in a confrontation near the Second Thomas Shoal when Chinese coast guard members wielding knives, sticks and an axe foiled a Philippine Navy attempt to resupply its troops.
Chinese and Philippine vessels have collided at least three times recently near Sabina Shoal, 140km from the Philippine western island of Palawan and 1,200km from China’s nearest major landmass, Hainan island.
Another Philippine vessel, the Teresa Magbanua, was anchored on that shoal in April to assert Manila’s claims, but left the area this month.
The China Coast Guard did not mention Sabina Shoal in yesterday’s statement, but said it would continue to enforce “rights protection” around the Spratly Islands (Nansha Islands, 南沙群島), of which the reef is a part.
After the Teresa Magbanua’s departure, Beijing said its sovereignty over the shoal was “indisputable”.
In Manila, the Philippine armed forces said the resupply mission to the Sierra Madre had been supported by the country’s coast guard.
Essential supplies and provisions were delivered, easing the way for troop rotation, it said in a statement, vowing to persevere with its mandates in the West Philippine Sea, providing full support and care for troops stationed there.
Additional reporting by Reuters
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