Despite Chinese threats, Philippines conducts successful resupply mission to remote outpost in South China Sea

Despite Chinese threats, the Philippines on Tuesday (August 22) said its resupply mission to troops on a remote outpost in the disputed South China Sea was a success. Manila said Chinese vessels attempted to block the boats carrying the fresh provisions but the Filipino side persevered.

"The routine follow-on Rotation and Resupply mission to the BRP Sierra Madre was successfully conducted today," the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea said in a statement.

The supplies were intended for troops stationed on a rusty, World War-2 era warship that Manila intentionally grounded in 1999 as part of its sovereignty claim to the Second Thomas Shoal, located in the Spratly Islands, which lies within its 200-mile exclusive economic zone. The tiny garrison depends on regular deliveries of provisions for their survival.

China fires water cannons

The mission comes just over two weeks after the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) fired water cannons at Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessels carrying the ration.

A video released by the PCG at the time showed the CCG conducting dangerous manoeuvres in the open sea without any provocation from the Filipino side.

Since the incident, both sides have traded verbal blows, with Manila vowing to never abandon the shoal, despite Beijing's incessant pressure tactics.

"For the record, we will never abandon Ayungin Shoal. We are committed to Ayungin Shoal," said Jonathan Malaya, spokesman for the National Security Council, using theFilipinoname for Second Thomas Shoal.

Support pours in for the Philippines

Even the US got involved as the State Department released a statement, condemning the Chinese actions, saying they were carried out by the coast guard and "maritime militia" which threatened peace and stability in the region.

"The US stands with our Philippine allies in the face of dangerous actions by the Coast Guard and maritime militia of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to obstruct an August 5 PH resupply mission to Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea," read the statement.

According to an Asia Nikkei report, South Korea and India also joined the US, Japan and other European nations in supporting the Philippines as China continued its belligerent activities in the region.

Notably, Beijing claims almost all of the South China Sea, through which trillions of dollars in trade passes annually, and has ignored a 2016 international court ruling that its assertion has no legal basis.

(With inputs from agencies)

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