Philippines completes first South China Sea resupply mission since deal with Beijing

MANILA: The Philippines on Saturday (Jul 27) completed unimpeded a resupply trip to its troops at a disputed South China Sea shoal, its foreign ministry said, the first such mission under a new arrangement with China aimed at cooling tensions.

The Philippines and China last week announced a “provisional agreement” on Manila’s resupply missions to its contingent of troops on a naval ship grounded on the Second Thomas Shoal, after repeated clashes between vessels that have caused regional concerns about an escalation of hostilities.

The Philippines intentionally immobilised the now rusty former US vessel at the shoal in 1999 in an attempt to claim it as its territory and has since maintained a small rotational troop presence there, infuriating China, which has coast guard stationed in the area.

Saturday’s mission involved a civilian vessel, escorted by the Philippine coast guard, with no untoward incidents reported, the foreign ministry said. China’s embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the mission.

The Philippines and China both said the agreement would not change their positions on territory.