In a daring move, two Philippine supply boats managed to breach a blockade by the Chinese coast guard in the South China Sea. This incident occurred near the Second Thomas Shoal, a disputed area that could potentially ignite a larger security crisis involving the United States.
The two Philippine coast guard ships accompanied the smaller supply boats, but it remains unclear if the Chinese coast guard blocked them from approaching the shoal. The Filipino marines have been stationed on the BRP Sierra Madre, a warship stranded but still in active duty, to assert their presence.
In an attempt to prevent construction materials from reinforcing the Sierra Madre and turning it into a permanent outpost, China claims the shoal and has deployed its coast guard ships and militia vessels around it.
Philippine Boats Successfully Deliver Supplies to Forces at Contested Shoal, Defying Chinese Blockade
A Philippine government body overseeing the disputed waters stated that despite the Chinese coast guard’s attempt to block, harass, and interfere with the resupply mission, the two Philippine boats managed to deliver provisions to the Filipino forces at the shoal. According to the inter-agency body, these missions are conducted in accordance with domestic and international law, prioritizing the safety and well-being of the stationed personnel.
The body did not provide further details regarding the actions of the Chinese coast guard, which have been condemned in the past for their dangerous maneuvers that nearly caused collisions and violated international safety regulations at sea.
A Philippine supply boat, center, maneuvers around Chinese coast guard ships near Second Thomas Shoal at the disputed South China Sea on Aug. 22, 2023. Two Philippine supply boats breached a Chinese coast guard blockade in the South China Sea on Oct. 4. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila, File)
In response to the incident, the Chinese coast guard released a statement expressing that the Philippine vessels entered the waters “without permission from the Chinese government.” China firmly opposes the transportation of building materials to the stranded military boat, considering it an illegal act. The Chinese coast guard claims to have given a stern warning to the Philippine vessels and closely monitored their activities.
This dangerous confrontation marks the latest escalation in the territorial disputes in the South China Sea, which involve China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Brunei. These conflicts pose a potential flashpoint in Asia and have become a delicate focal point in the rivalry between the United States and China in the region.
Earlier in August, a video captured a Chinese coast guard ship using a water cannon to deter one of the Philippine supply boats from approaching the Second Thomas Shoal. This action outraged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., leading the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila to summon the Chinese ambassador for a strong protest.
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The United States responded by reiterating its commitment to defend the Philippines under the mutual defense treaty. Washington warned that it will intervene if Filipino forces, aircraft, or vessels come under armed attack, particularly in the South China Sea. In response, the Chinese Foreign Ministry accused the US of “threatening China” by discussing the activation of the defense treaty. Beijing has repeatedly advised the US not to interfere in the territorial disputes.
Later in August, the Philippines successfully delivered supplies to the Filipino forces at the Second Thomas Shoal by maneuvering past the Chinese coast guard blockade. However, Chinese coast guard ships prevented the two Philippine coast guard ships escorting the supply boats from getting closer to the shoal. As the standoff persisted for over three hours, a US Navy surveillance aircraft circled the area in support of the Philippine vessels.
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Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro expressed concern over China’s dangerous actions at sea and assured readiness to respond to potential emergencies, including possible collisions between Chinese and Philippine ships in the disputed waters. “Naturally the concern is always there, and we take that into account,” Teodoro stated in response to a reporter’s question. “We have plans depending on what happens.”
In an effort to expose China’s increasingly aggressive actions in the South China Sea, the Philippine coast guard invited a small group of journalists, including two from The Associated Press, to join their ships that secured the supply boats.
A 2016 arbitration ruling, based on the 1982 U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, invalidated China’s claims to the vast majority of the South China Sea using historical grounds. Despite the ruling, China refused to participate in the arbitration requested by the Philippines and rejected the decision as illegitimate, continuing to defy it.
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