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Philippines completes Ayungin resupply mission despite China's attempt to block

August 22, 2023 | 5:34pm

Philippines completes Ayungin resupply mission despite China's attempt to block

This file photo taken on April 23, 2023 shows the grounded Philippine navy ship BRP Sierra Madre where marines are stationed to assert Manila's territorial claims at Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly Islands in the disputed South China Sea. A crumbling World War II-vintage Philippine navy vessel stranded on a submerged reef in the South China Sea has long been a flashpoint between Manila and Beijing in their territorial dispute over the waters.

AFP / Ted Aljibe

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine boats have successfully delivered essential supplies to troops stationed on BRP Sierra Madre in the Ayungin Shoal despite attempts by Chinese vessels to “block” the resupply mission, the government said Tuesday.

The National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea said two supply ships, escorted by Philippine Coast Guard patrol vessels, completed the rotation and resupply mission despite “attempts by China Coast Guard and Chinese maritime militia vessels to block, harass, and interfere.”

Philippine Navy vessels were also on standby during the mission.

The mission comes just over two weeks after the CCG blocked and fired water cannons at Philippine boats carrying food, water and fuel for troops stationed on the rusty World War II-era ship that serves as the country’s outpost in the West Philippine Sea. China’s actions prevented one of the boats from unloading supplies.

The Philippines condemned China’s maneuvers as dangerous and illegal, and summoned Chinese envoy Huang Xilian.

“Routine missions to Philippine outposts on various features in the West Philippine Sea will continue on a regular basis,” the task force said, noting these missions are part of the government’s legitimate exercise of its administrative functions over the waterway.

Ray Powell, lead of the Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation’s Project Myoushu, said in a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter) that China deployed all 11 of its AIS-visible Qiong Sansha Yu militia ships from Mischief Reef starting Sunday afternoon. He noted that four militia vessels took up blocking positions at Ayungin Shoal.

1/????????#Philippines' promised follow-up resupply mission to Ayungin (2nd Thomas) Shoal now underway. @coastguardph escorts BRP Cabra & BRP Sindangan now inbound from Sabina Shoal.
????????#China deployed 4 militia ships from Mischief Reef to take up blockade positions at Ayungin. [????1/x] pic.twitter.com/6PUJnEV7sJ
— Ray Powell (@GordianKnotRay) August 21, 2023

The Philippines said it will not remove BRP Sierra Madre from Ayungin Shoal, which is located within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.

Beijing lays claim to most of the South China Sea, including parts that Manila calls the West Philippine Sea, using a “nine-dash line” on maps that an arbitration ruling in 2016 declared has no legal basis.

China’s coast guard, navy and maritime militia vessels routinely block or shadow Philippine patrol and supply boats.