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The Philippines
AsiaSoutheast Asia

South China Sea: Philippines says Chinese vessels in disputed waters won’t deter ‘dangerous’ supply missions

  • The coastguard said it would continue its supply missions to troops stationed in Second Thomas Shoal despite the increasing number of Chinese ships in the area
  • The force added China’s coastguard is deploying smaller vessels to try to outmanoeuvre its Philippine counterpart

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A Chinese coastguard vessel blocks the Philippine coastguard ship BRP Cabra as they approach Second Thomas Shoal during a resupply mission in the disputed South China Sea on Friday. Photo: AP
Reuters
The Philippines’ coastguard said on Saturday it would maintain its regular supply missions to troops stationed on a disputed atoll in the South China Sea even though it expects more Chinese vessels to be sent to the area.
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The Philippines regularly sends supplies to a handful of troops living aboard an ageing warship that was deliberately run aground on the Second Thomas Shoal in 1999 to assert Manila’s sovereignty claims over the atoll.

China claims almost the entire South China Sea, including the Second Thomas Shoal, and has deployed hundreds of vessels to patrol there.

“We are still going to carry out these dangerous missions despite our limited number of vessels and despite the increasing number of Chinese vessels they are going to deploy,” Philippine coastguard spokesperson Jay Tarriela told a press conference.

“We have to make sure the supplies will still reach our troops,” Tarriela said, adding that China’s coastguard is deploying smaller vessels to try to outmanoeuvre its Philippine counterpart.

He spoke a day after the Philippines condemned the Chinese coastguard for “unprovoked acts of coercion and dangerous manoeuvres,” including using a water cannon against one of its boats in an attempt to disrupt a resupply mission.
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China’s embassy in Manila said on Saturday its coastguard had taken necessary enforcement measures against Philippine ships after the vessels infringed on Beijing’s sovereignty.

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