Philippine Navy supply boat receives radio challenge from Chinese Coast Guard

A boat belonging to the Philippine Navy over the weekend received a radio challenge from the Chinese Coast Guard while on a resupply mission to Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

According to Carlo Mateo’s report on Super Radyo dzBB on Sunday, the radio challenge was confirmed by Major Cherryl Tindog, spokesperson of the Western Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Ika- 11 resupply mission ng Philippine Navy sa bahagi ng West Philippine Sea, nakatanggap ng radio challenge mula sa China Coast Guard. | via Carlo Mateo pic.twitter.com/VVLYdRNzhm

— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) December 18, 2022

Tindog said the Philippine Navy still completed the resupply mission on December 17 for crews of the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal.

In a statement, WESCOM said that China's radio challenges would claim that the sea area near the Philippine ship was “under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China,” and that they allowed supplies to be delivered.

It also warned that bringing construction materials “will be dealt with.”

These radio challenges would always be followed by CCG's shadowing and close maneuvers against Philippine supply boats to try to disrupt the mission, according to WESCOM.

The Philippine supply boats, on the other hand, would respond and proceed to their planned route despite the challenges, it added.

Meanwhile, WESCOM commander Vice Admiral Alberto Carlos reiterated the importance of the BRP Sierra Madre, serving as the country’s nearest outpost to China's military garrison on Mischief Reef.

The Mischief garrison is in our country's exclusive economic zone and is China's closest military facility to Palawan. That is why resupply missions are critical in maintaining our presence in Ayungin,” Carlos said. — BM, GMA Integrated News