The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) successfully conducted another rotation and reprovisioning (RoRe) mission in Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal, West Philippine Sea (WPS) on Friday, Sept. 8, its third operation in the atoll in just five weeks.

The National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) said two supply boats brought food and other replenishments to troops stationed onboard BRP Sierra Madre, the grounded Philippine Navy warship which serves as an outpost by the AFP in Ayungin Shoal.

The boats were chartered by the AFP and escorted by Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) ships BRP Cabra and BRP Sindangan.

The NTF-WPS said the operation was still marked by “harassment, dangerous maneuvers, and aggressive conduct” of China Coast Guard (CCG) and Chinese maritime militia (CMM) vessels.

“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 (UNCLOS) and the final and binding 2016 Arbitral Award,” the NTF-WPS said.

“The Task Force strongly deplores and condemns the continued illegal, aggressive, and destabilizing conduct of the CCG and the CMM within our nation's EEZ [exclusive economic zone],” it added.

The RoRe mission in Ayungin Shoal was the third of such operation by the AFP in five weeks.

The first mission was held on August 5 where CCG vessels fired water cannon at the supply boats, while the second was on August 22 which was deemed successful by the AFP.

Blockade

Ray Powell, a United States-based maritime security expert, said at least two CCG vessels with bow numbers 5305 and 21551, and 10 militia ships formed a blockade to stop the latest resupply mission. He said there is also one Chinese cargo ship identified as Chang Zheng 1 Hao in the area although its purpose was "unclear".

“China has blockaded Philippines' outpost on BRP Sierra Madre for years to deny [Philippines’] ability to repair the ship, until it eventually breaks up [and] must be abandoned. At that point [China] plans to take full control of Second Thomas (Ayungin) Shoal,” he said in a tweet at “X” (formerly Twitter).

China protests PH mission; AFP responds

In a separate statement, the CCG protested the mission and said that the Philippine vessels entered Ayungin Shoal, which they call Ren’ai Reef, “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,” it said.

But AFP spokesperson Col. Medel Aguilar underscored that the AFP, through its Palawan-based Western Command (WesCom), does not need to seek permission from China if it wants to perform RoRe mission in Ayungin Shoal, noting that the area is located within the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Philippines.

Ayungin Shoal is an atoll in the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG), Palawan that are both being claimed by Manila and Beijing. It is located at 106 nautical miles from Palawan, within the 200-nautical mile EEZ)of the Philippines, and around 600 nautical miles from the nearest point of China.

He blasted the CCG and CMM for their “unprofessional act” and “dangerous maneuvers”.

“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 noted.

He said the resupply mission was a manifestation of the AFP’s “firm resolve” to assert the country’s sovereign rights and jurisdiction in its maritime zones, and the fulfillment of the military’s responsibility to look after the well-being of the Filipino soldiers who are stationed not only in Ayungin Shoal but in every remote post in the country.

“We express our deep appreciation to the guidance of the NTF-WPS and the ever reliable support of the Philippine Coast Guard in accomplishing this mission. With the strong support of our people, we will succeed,” he said.

During the recently concluded 43rd ASEAN Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. reiterated the Philippines’ position on the South China Sea dispute and called on all parties to do their part in ensuring a peaceful and “rules-based international order” in the oceans.

“Practical cooperation in the maritime domain can only flourish with an enabling environment of regional peace, security, and stability anchored in international law,” Marcos said.