China uses resupply of Philippine warship to call for Manila’s help managing shoal dispute

Beijing has called for Manila to work with it and “jointly manage the maritime situation” after China allowed supplies to be sent to a Philippine warship grounded in the disputed Second Thomas Shoal on Thursday.

A China Coast Guard spokesman said China “inquired, confirmed and monitored” a civilian ship sent by the Philippines to take necessities to its Sierra Madre warship – which Beijing says is illegally beached at the shoal known as Renai Jiao in China and Ayungin Shoal in the Philippines.

“It is hoped the Philippines will honour its commitments, work with China in the same direction and jointly manage the maritime situation,” spokesman Liu Dejun said in a statement on Friday morning.

“China Coast Guard will continue carrying out law enforcement activities to safeguard rights in the Nansha Islands and their adjacent waters, including Renai Jiao, in accordance with the law,” he said, also referring to the disputed Spratly Islands by their Chinese name.

The peaceful resupply mission was carried out amid a tug of war over two newly-endorsed laws in the Philippines which Beijing has condemned as infringing on China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights.

It was the third time Philippine vessels have carried out a resupply mission to the grounded warship that did not result in any clash between Manila and Beijing since July, when both sides reached a rare deal to curb violent confrontations.