Two Chinese PLA Navy warships were sighted near Bajo de Masinloc during joint Philippine, US and Australian maritime drills in the West Philippine Sea, the Philippine Navy said.
The Chinese Embassy in Manila lashed out at the United States on Sunday after jumping to the Philippines' defense following a recent confrontation in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
The embassy issued the statement shortly after the US Embassy in Manila called out Beijing for its “irresponsible maneuvers” that threatened a collision with a Philippine vessel, M/V Lapu-Lapu, in an effort to block a military’s rotation and resupply (RORE) mission to the BRP Sierra Madre at Ayungin Shoal on 24 September.
US Ambassador to the Philippines Lee Lipton strongly denounced China’s actions and urged the China Coast Guard (CCG) and People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) to cease “escalatory tactics that threaten the freedom of navigation and a free and open Indo-Pacific.”
A PLAN warship, nine CCG and five Chinese maritime militia vessels reportedly swarmed M/V Lapu-Lapu despite being escorted by the Philippine Navy and Philippine Coast Guard ships.
China was quick to hit back at the US and accused it of blatantly disregarding the Philippines’ “provocative and unlawful actions” at Second Thomas Shoal, which the Philippines calls Ayungin Shoal, while Ren’ai Reef by China.
The Chinese embassy urged the US “to stop fanning the flames” as it doubled down on its claims that it was the Philippines that “breached its commitments” and “disregard[ed] China’s warnings” that resulted in the recent confrontation.
The Philippines and China entered into a provisional deal in July 2024, reportedly to de-escalate tensions between the two nations following a series of violent confrontations during RORE missions to BRP Sierra Madre, one of which resulted in a Philippine Navy sailor getting his right thumb cut off after the CCG rammed their boats into the PN’s vessel.
The rusting BRP Sierra Madre has served as the Philippine military outpost at Ayungin Shoal since 1999, which China claimed was “illegal.”
The Chinese embassy accused the Philippines of violating the pact by dispatching a resupply mission to the BRP Sierra Madre last week, and said that Beijing troops only took action after Manila allegedly disobeyed their radio warning.
“The Philippines’ provocative actions and its subsequent hype and publicity during a traditional Chinese festival seriously violated the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea and severely undermined peace and stability in the South China Sea region,” the Chinese embassy said on Sunday.
Prior to this, a violent encounter between the CCG and Philippine Coast Guard also ensued in July, which left a Filipino soldier suffering a serious injury after being struck on the head by a wooden baton by Beijing personnel.
China has claimed that the provisional deal bars Manila from repairing and rebuilding the grounded warship and that the recent activities leading to the heated encounter breached the deal.
In July, the Department of Foreign Affairs said unequivocally that the Philippines needs no permission from China to sail to Ayungin Shoal and resupply Filipino troops there, arguing that the 2024 pact should not be mistaken for approval.
The DFA asserted that the agreement does not diminish the Philippines’ sovereign position in the disputed waters, and RORE missions will continue “for as long as necessary in line with the national interest.”
Retired Supreme Court senior associate justice Antonio Carpio has chided the DFA for entering into such a conditional agreement with China, despite knowing that Ayungin Shoal lies within the Philippines' 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, as upheld by the 2016 arbitral ruling.
Carpio pointed out that the deal implicitly gives China leverage and obliges the Philippines to pre-notify Beijing or obtain inspections before resupply missions.
Carpio said the move amounted to surrendering parts of the WPS and undermined the 2016 landmark award that invalidated China’s sweeping claims over the entire South China Sea (SCS).
He also called into question the purported secrecy of the deal, noting that the government has refused to disclose the agreement in full to the public.
Neither the Chinese embassy nor the DFA confirmed whether the provisional agreement has officially terminated.
The Philippines and the US share a decades-long alliance anchored on the Mutual Defense Treaty.
Washington has declared that the MDT extends to armed attacks on Philippine armed forces, public vessels, and aircraft anywhere in the Pacific, including the SCS.
