The war of words between China and the Philippines has further escalated over tensions in the South China Sea territorial dispute.
National Security Council spokesperson Jonathan Malaya firmly rejected China’s recent assertion of a “temporary special arrangement” that purportedly allowed supplies to be delivered to troops stationed at the BRP Sierra Madre in the West Philippine Sea. The statement from Malaya came on Monday, January 29, in response to China’s claim, as reported by Rappler.
The Philippines, along with various Asian and Western governments, including the United States, continues to uphold an international tribunal’s 2016 ruling that rejected China’s extensive claims in the South China Sea, citing the 1982 U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea as the legal basis. China, however, maintains the ruling is invalid.
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The mission to Second Thomas Shoal, where the BRP Sierra Madre is located, marked a notable departure from the usual supply boat convoys typically tasked with resupplying the military outpost, which includes the aged 80-year-old warship, as reported by Rappler on Monday.
China’s spokesperson Gan Yu, representing the China Coast Guard, stated on January 21 on WeChat that a small aircraft from the Philippines dropped supplies to the BRP Sierra Madre, and the Chinese Maritime Police closely monitored and subsequently seized and disposed of the supplies in accordance with the law.
Gan Yu also mentioned that temporary special arrangements had been made for the Philippines to supply necessary living materials.
Gan Yu, reiterating China’s position, accused the Philippines and other relevant parties of ignoring the facts, maliciously hyping the incident, and deliberately misleading international awareness. He emphasized that such actions weren’t conducive to easing tensions in the South China Sea.
Newsweek reported earlier that the airdrop of supplies appeared to be a stopgap measure, with Ray Powell, director of the Stanford-affiliated SeaLight project, noting that it had delivered a limited amount.
Powell also stated that Manila’s operation only marginally extended the time between its larger, regular supply trips by boats, suggesting that China might not be overly concerned about the latest mission due to the limited cargo capacity of the plane.
China asserts sovereignty over most of the South China Sea, including areas within the Philippines’ internationally recognized exclusive economic zone, such as Second Thomas Shoal (known as Ayungin Shoal by Manila and Ren’ai Reef by Beijing).
Despite recent meetings between Philippine and Chinese officials aimed at de-escalating tensions and avoiding the use of force, neither side has shown willingness to abandon its position on the territorial matter.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.