The Armed Forces of the Philippines confirmed that China has again attempted to block, harass, and conduct dangerous maneuvers against the Filipino vessels en route to the BRP Sierra Madre for the country's third rotation and resupply in Ayungin Shoal on Friday, 8 September.
Despite China's aggressive attacks, the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea reported that the Western Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, assisted by the Philippine Coast Guard, has successfully accomplished the RoRe mission.
AFP spokesperson Col. Medel Aguilar said the tactical operation of the military forces serves as a manifestation that the government is firm in asserting the Philippines' sovereign rights and jurisdiction in its exclusive economic zone.
Aguilar said the AFP is adamant about fulfilling its mandate in ensuring that military troops stationed in BRP Sierra Madre have enough supply, which will also emulated in other remote posts in the country.
"The unprofessional act and dangerous maneuvers conducted by the China Coast Guard and its maritime militia will never prevail over our conduct of legal and legitimate operations that support rules-based international order," he added.
China, on the contrary, defended their acts saying the two replenishment ships and two coast guard vessels from the Philippines entered the adjacent waters of Ren'ai Reef in its so-called Nansha Islands "without the permission of the Chinese government."
"The China Coast Guard strictly warned the Philippine vessels in accordance with the law, tracked and monitored the vessels all the way and effectively regulated them," the CCG spokesperson Gan Yun said in an interview.
The CCG spokesperson insisted that China has "indisputable sovereignty" over the Nansha Islands, including the Ren'ai Reef, and its adjacent waters, and firmly opposes the illegal transportation of construction materials by the Philippines to the illegally grounded warship.
"The China Coast Guard will continue to carry out law enforcement activities in the sea areas under China's jurisdiction according to law," Gan Yu added.
The NTF-WPS lashed out the Beijing's statement and strongly condemned the continued illegal, aggressive, and destabilizing conduct of the Chinese Coast Guard and Chinese Maritime Militia over the Philippine waters.
"We reiterate and reemphasize that these operations are pursuant to our Government's legitimate exercise of its administrative functions and jurisdiction over the West Philippine Sea, firmly anchored on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the final and binding 2016 Arbitral Award," the task force pressed.
Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri lauded the AFP and the PCG for completing the third resupply mission despite China's aggressions.
"Once again, I salute our men and women of the AFP and PCG for fearlessly staying on track to complete their mission, despite intimidation from the Chinese Coast Guard and militia vessels. This is a humanitarian resupply mission. Only barbarians at the gate will delight at seeing soldiers on a peaceful mission denied food," he said.
Amid the tension in the WPS, Zubiri said the Senate is ready to assist AFP and PCG with their budget—"with the aim of developing a credible self-defense posture that will allow them to continue protecting our country and our people."