South China Sea: Philippines to send more supplies, ships and aircraft to disputed reef as tensions rise

The military said a resupply mission will resume next week after the Chinese coastguard fired water cannons at Philippine ships carrying essentials for troops stationed at Second Thomas Shoal

Manila also plans to deploy more ships and aircraft to its exclusive economic zone to boost its presence in the waters

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The grounded Philippine navy ship BRP Sierra Madre where marines are stationed to assert Manila’s territorial claims at Second Thomas Shoal in the disputed South China Sea. Photo: AFP

Published: 11:10am, 11 Aug 2023

The Philippines will send more supplies to a remote outpost on a reef in the disputed South China Sea as early as next week, a military commander said on Thursday, days after Chinese boats disrupted a delivery.

A resupply mission last Saturday couldn’t unload all of its cargo after China coastguard ships blocked and fired water cannon at Philippine coastguard vessels and charter boats carrying food, water and fuel for Filipino troops stationed on Second Thomas Shoal.

The incident has ignited a diplomatic row between Manila and Beijing, and sparked international criticism of China’s actions.

A handful of marines are based on a World War II-vintage ship called the BRP Sierra Madre, which was deliberately grounded on the submerged reef in 1999 to check China’s advance in the hotly contested waters. The tiny garrison depends on regular deliveries for their survival.

One of the charter boats carrying supplies to the outpost on Saturday was prevented from reaching the shoal, while the other succeeded in unloading its cargo.

The next delivery would be “early next week hopefully, but definitely before the supply runs out. We’re on the clock now,” vice-admiral Alberto Carlos, chief of the Western Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines on Palawan island, told reporters.