China watches as Philippine supply ship visits Second Thomas Shoal in South China Sea

Beijing confirms it monitored – but did not block – Manila’s latest mission to disputed reef near site of last month’s stand-off in Spratlys

Reading Time:2 minutes

The BRP Sierra Madre is a dilapidated World War II-era ship that the Philippines deliberately grounded on the Second Thomas Shoal in 1999. Photo: Reuters

Published: 8:34pm, 27 Sep 2024Updated: 9:59pm, 27 Sep 2024

China confirmed on Friday that it did not block the resupply mission of a Philippine vessel at a controversial South China Sea reef this week, almost a month after naval ships of the two countries nearly collided in a stand-off in nearby waters.

China Coast Guard spokesman Liu Dejun said the coastguard only went to “inquire, confirm and monitor” the actions of the Philippines, which sent a civil vessel on Thursday to resupply its “illegally grounded” military ship at the Second Thomas Shoal, known as Renai Jiao in China and Ayungin Shoal in the Philippines.

“[We] hope that the Philippines will honour its commitments and work with China to jointly manage the maritime situation.”

“The China Coast Guard will continue to carry out law enforcement activities to safeguard and enforce rights in the Nansha Islands and their adjacent waters, including Renai Jiao, in accordance with the law,” he added, referring to the disputed Spratly Islands by its Chinese name.

Liu said China’s actions were in accordance with “the interim arrangements reached between China and the Philippines”, which includes a July agreement to allow the Southeast Asian country to resupply the grounded warship that serves as an outpost on the Second Thomas Shoal.

The Philippine Coast Guard also confirmed the mission on Facebook on Friday, saying it, along with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), “delivered essential supplies and provisions to the personnel aboard the BRP Sierra Madre at Ayungin Shoal, and facilitated troop rotation”.