Beijing: China claimed on Friday that the Philippines had sent supplies to a beached warship stationed on Second Thomas Shoal, a contested atoll in the South China Sea. This follows an ongoing dispute between the two nations over control and military activities in the area.
The Philippine Coast Guard separately confirmed the supply run, stating that it had rotated personnel and sent supplies to the Sierra Madre, a vessel intentionally grounded on the shoal.
China’s Coast Guard responded, asserting that the supply mission occurred “with permission” and reiterated its position that the warship’s presence on the shoal was “illegal”. The Philippine Coast Guard did not immediately address China’s claim, though it has previously contested the characterization of the mission as unauthorized.
The tensions over Second Thomas Shoal have been escalating for months, with both China and the Philippines conducting maneuvers in the area, which lies within the Philippines’ 200-nautical-mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
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Liu Dejun, a spokesperson for China’s Coast Guard, expressed hope that the Philippines would “honor its commitments” and cooperate with China to manage the situation. “It is hoped the Philippines will work with China in the same direction, and jointly manage the maritime situation,” Liu said in a statement regarding the resupply run conducted by the Philippines on Thursday.
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China claims nearly the entire South China Sea, despite competing claims from Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam. In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled that China’s claims lacked legal standing—a verdict that Beijing continues to reject.
