Philippines’ foreign ministry accused China on Sunday of mischaracterizing an arrangement that allowed the unimpeded resupply of Filipino troops stationed on a beached naval vessel in the South China Sea.
Following repeated clashes at the disputed Second Thomas Shoal, the two countries reached a “provisional arrangement” earlier this month concerning resupply missions to soldiers stationed at the Sierra Madre, a naval vessel Manila deliberately grounded in 1999 to reinforce its maritime claims.
Philippine foreign ministry spokesperson Teresita Daza reported that Saturday’s resupply mission was completed without incident, with Chinese coast guard vessels maintaining a “reasonable distance.” However, her Chinese counterpart claimed that China’s coast guard had been notified in advance and “let the vessel through” after an “on-the-scene confirmation.”
In response, Daza stated it was “unfortunate” that China “mischaracterized” the resupply mission. “Instead of acknowledging how the two countries managed differences to avoid miscalculation and misunderstanding, the spokesperson chose to misrepresent what had been agreed upon between the Philippines and China,” she said in a statement.
The Chinese embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside office hours. Details of the arrangement between China and the Philippines have not been publicly disclosed, but both nations have said the deal was aimed at easing tensions in the waterway.
“The understanding between the Philippines and China was concluded in good faith, with the explicit agreement that it will not prejudice national positions,” Daza emphasized. “It is not helpful to keep giving false notions about what has been agreed on and how they were implemented,” she added.
The Philippines’ South China Sea task force issued a separate statement on Sunday, clarifying that Manila did not seek Chinese permission to resupply its soldiers. “There was also no boarding and inspection by the Chinese Coast Guard,” the task force stated.
Located within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, China claims sovereignty over the Second Thomas Shoal. Last month, a Filipino navy sailor lost a finger after a confrontation between the Chinese coast guard and the Philippine navy. China claims almost the entire South China Sea as its territory based on historic maps, a claim an arbitral tribunal in 2016 ruled had no basis under international law.
