South China Sea: Philippines says ‘no incidents’ with China in first resupply mission after deal
- The Second Thomas Shoal has been a focus of clashes between Chinese and Philippine ships in recent months
The Philippines said it carried out a resupply and rotation mission to troops on a South China Sea reef on Saturday without “untoward incidents”, more than a month after a violent clash with Chinese forces in the area.
It said the mission to Second Thomas Shoal was the first since Manila and Beijing reached a “provisional arrangement” earlier this month for the delivery of daily necessities and rotation missions for Filipino troops based on a rusty warship grounded atop the reef.
The shoal has been a focus of clashes between Chinese and Philippine ships in recent months as Beijing steps up efforts to push its claims to almost the entire South China Sea.
A Filipino sailor lost a thumb in the latest June 17 confrontation when Chinese coastguard members wielding knives, sticks and an axe foiled a Philippine Navy attempt to resupply its troops.
“No untoward incidents were reported” after a civilian vessel escorted by a Philippine Coast Guard boat reprovisioned the BRP Sierra Madre and rotated troops there on Saturday, a foreign department statement said.
China coastguard spokesman Gan Yu confirmed that the Philippines had carried out a resupply mission “in accordance with the temporary arrangement reached between China and the Philippines”.
