BEIJING – China’s coast guard reported on Friday that a Philippine civilian vessel delivered supplies to the BRP Sierra Madre, a warship stationed at the disputed Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea. The coast guard claimed the vessel was supplying an “illegally grounded” ship and stated that Chinese forces “questioned” and “monitored” the mission as part of ongoing “rights protection and law enforcement activities.”
The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed the resupply mission and rotation of personnel aboard the BRP Sierra Madre, asserting it occurred without incident. Second Thomas Shoal lies within Manila’s 200-nautical-mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), making it a focal point of ongoing tensions between the two nations.
China claims nearly the entire South China Sea, a position rejected by a 2016 international tribunal ruling that invalidated Beijing’s historic maps. Despite the ruling, China continues to assert its dominance in the region, leading to frequent disputes with other claimants, including the Philippines.
Efforts to resolve the maritime disputes have seen recent dialogue between Beijing and Manila, with both nations agreeing to seek cooperative approaches. However, the contested resupply mission underscores the persistent challenges in managing the overlapping claims.