THE United States on Sunday strongly condemned China’s dangerous maneuvers obstructing Philippine vessels during its Sept. 24 resupply mission to its sole outpost in Second Thomas Shoal.
US Ambassador Lee Lipton, in a statement, criticized the China Coast Guard and the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLA Navy) for dangerous maneuvers that nearly led to a collision with the M/V Lapu-Lapu, a commissioned supply ship.
Two Philippine Coast Guard vessels, the BRP Malabrigo and BRP Cabra, were also continuously shadowed.
The rotation and resupply (RoRe) mission was stopped for the safety of personnel, said Rear Admiral Jay T. Tarriela, the Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, via an X post on Sept. 25.
“We stand by our Philippine allies and laud their professionalism and restraint. We call on the China Coast Guard and PLAN to cease the use of escalatory tactics that threaten the freedom of navigation and a free and open Indo-Pacific,” Mr. Lipton said.
The Chinese Embassy in response condemned the US’ support for the Philippines’ “provocative and unlawful actions” in the South China Sea (SCS). They said the RoRe mission was a breach of the 2024 provisional agreement on resupply operations.
Mr. Tarriela earlier said in a separate X post that the Philippines does not require China’s permission to conduct RoRe missions, which Mr. Lipton affirmed, calling it “lawful and routine.” — Francessca S. Abalos