AFP: 28 resupply missions completed in 2023 amid China’s presence in WPS

The Armed Forces of the Philippines was able to fulfill 28 successful rotation and resupply or RoRe missions in the West Philippine Sea last year despite the presence of the Chinese Coast Guard and Chinese maritime militia in the area, a navy official said Tuesday.

In a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City, Philippine Navy spokesperson for WPS, Commodore Roy Vincent Trinidad, said “less than half” of the AFP’s RoRe operations were obstructed by China.  

Trinidad said the most of interference occurred in Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal—which has recently been a flashpoint in the South China Sea due to the consistent encounters between the Philippines and Chinese vessels.

"Of the 28 missions, all were conducted successfully, the parameter of which is the successful delivery of supplies and rotation of the troops. On the number of incidents that there were illegal actions by the maritime militia or the China Coast Guard, I would say less than half of that, there was interference," Trinidad told the reporters during an interview. 

“We do not gauge the success of the mission based on the interference or intervention of the maritime militia or the Chinese coast guard, we based it on the conduct of the missions successfully to deliver the supplies and to rotate the troops,” he added, noting that the resupply mission in the WPS is not only intended for troops in Ayungin. 

The AFP brings supplies to Filipino sailors and marines manning the nine features occupied by the Philippines in the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG) or Spratly Islands, which include the Ayungin Shoal, Pag-asa (Thitu) Island, Rizal (Commodore) Reef, Patag (Flat) Island, Panata (Loaita Cay) Island, Kota (Loaita) Island, Lawak (Nanshan) Island, Parola (Northeast Cay) Island, and Likas (West York) Island.

Of the 28 resupply missions last year, Trinidad said 14 of them were conducted for troops manning the Philippine Navy’s commissioned warship BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal. 

The remaining RoRe missions were held in the rest were in the eight other features in KIG.

“There were specifically 14 RoRe missions for Ayungin. Of these 14, three encountered illegal actions or harassment by the maritime militia or coast guard,” he said. 

Trinidad said the encounters happened in August, November, and December resupply missions where Chinese ships fired water cannons at the Philippine supply vessels. 

In the past, there were other missions where Chinese vessels also cut across the bow of Philippine ships as well as blocked, used lasers, and conducted dangerous maneuvers against the Philippine vessels. 

Trinidad, meanwhile, clarified that the presence of militia or the Coast Guard “would not directly mean illegal actions or harassment.”

“In spite of all the challenges that we face, it will not dampen our spirit nor weaken our resolve to ensure that our integrity is protected and our territory is secured,” he said. 

The latest RoRe mission of the AFP was conducted on February 2 and 3 in Ayungin Shoal. Also, one mission was conducted in other WPS key features in January.

The AFP likewise explored an airdrop supply mission to BRP Sierra Madre last month. 

Trinidad said the most recent supply mission was a “flawless” operation, compared to the intense RoRes last year. 

“It's not the first time that there was no interference, no illegal moves by the maritime militia, their coast guard, or the PLA [People’s Liberation Army] Navy. We have had activities in the past RORE missions that there was no interference at all,” Trinidad said.