2 China Coast Guard ships ‘closely engage’ 2 PH vessels in Ayungin — expert

Two China Coast Guard (CCG) ships were closely engaging two Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessels in Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), according to a maritime expert on Friday.

Former United States Air Force official and ex-Defence Attaché Ray Powell was reacting to a GMA News Online report on Chinese presence in the shoal ahead of a possible resupply mission to Philippine Navy’s BRP Sierra Madre.

“Philippines’ resupply mission to Second Thomas Shoal (Ayungin) seems underway with at least two PCG ship—BRP Bacagay and BRP Malapascua—in support and closely engaged by CCG 5304 and 23514, respectively,” he said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

Aside from these, Powell said nine large Qiong Sansha Yu maritime militia ships were also seen surrounding Ayungin Shoal.

“Not clear yet whether China is impeding the resupply boat itself. If so that would mark the end the agreement reached after last year's dramatic June 17th confrontation,” Powell said.

GMA News Online has reached out to the PCG for confirmation and more details on the incident but the agency has yet to provide a statement as of posting time.

In January, the Philippines and China agreed to an indefinite implementation of an arrangement for the resupply of daily necessities and rotation missions by Manila in Ayungin Shoal.

Signed in July 2024, the provisional agreement seeks to avoid altercations and ease tensions after a violent confrontation on June 17, 2024 at the Philippine-occupied area.

Earlier in the day, Philippine Navy spokesperson for the WPS Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said four CCG ships and 20 Chinese maritime militia vessels were spotted in Ayungin Shoal on Thursday ahead of a possible rotation and resupply mission to BRP Sierra Madre.

The Philippine Navy conducts resupply missions to BRP Sierra Madre monthly. However, Trinidad said the latest resupply mission to the Philippine ship grounded in Ayungin Shoal was last July.

Trinidad refused to disclose the details of the next resupply mission to BRP Sierra Madre but he stressed that the Philippine Navy will not neglect the needs of the Filipino crew.

"Hindi natin puwede pabayaan yung ating kasundaluhan (We cannot neglect our soldiers) in the frontlines. It is the moral obligation of the leadership of the Armed Forces to provide, especially food, to our men in the frontlines,” he said.

“The details of the next RORE are at the level of the commander of the Western Command,” he added.

In August, China’s Ministry of National Defense warned the Philippines of “consequences” over Manila’s alleged hyping up of incidents, provocations, and infringements in Ayungin Shoal.

The Philippine Navy earlier reported an increase of Chinese vessels including boats with upgraded weapons in Ayungin Shoal.

The World War II-era BRP Sierra Madre has been grounded in Ayungin Shoal since 1999. The ship has become a symbol of Philippine sovereignty in the offshore territory.

Ayungin Shoal is a submerged reef in the Spratly Islands. The shoal is located 105 nautical miles west of Palawan and is within the Philippines' 200-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Tensions continue as Beijing claims almost all of the South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion of annual shipborne commerce, including parts claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei.

Parts of the South China Sea that fall within Philippine territory have been renamed by the government as the West Philippine Sea to reinforce the country's claim.

The West Philippine Sea refers to the maritime areas on the western side of the Philippine archipelago including Luzon Sea and the waters around, within, and adjacent to the Kalayaan Island Group and Bajo de Masinloc.

In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines over China's claims in the South China Sea, saying that it had "no legal basis."

China has refused to recognize the decision. — BAP, GMA Integrated News