China urges Philippines to help manage shoal dispute after resupply trip to Sierra Madre warship

Philippine military says ‘there were no untoward incidents’ during the mission to Second Thomas Shoal

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The Philippines’ BRP Sierra Madre sits at the Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea. Photo: AP

Published: 3:08pm, 15 Nov 2024Updated: 5:30pm, 15 Nov 2024

Beijing has called for Manila to work with it and “jointly manage the maritime situation” after China allowed supplies to be sent to a Philippine warship grounded at a disputed South China Sea shoal on Thursday.

A China Coast Guard spokesman said China “inquired, confirmed and monitored” a civilian ship sent by the Philippines to take necessities to its Sierra Madre warship – which Beijing says is illegally beached at Second Thomas Shoal known as Renai Jiao in China and Ayungin Shoal in the Philippines.

“It is hoped the Philippines will honour its commitments, work with China in the same direction and jointly manage the maritime situation,” spokesman Liu Dejun said in a statement on Friday morning.

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

02:14

Philippines and China trade blame over confrontation in South China Sea

The resupply mission was carried out amid a tug of war over two newly endorsed laws in the Philippines which Beijing has condemned as infringing on China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights.

It was the third time Philippine vessels have carried out a resupply mission to the grounded warship without a clash since July, when both sides reached a rare deal to curb violent confrontations.