China agrees to Filipino resupply missions at Ayungin Shoal, after violent clash one year ago

The Philippines and China have agreed to indefinitely implement a framework that allows Manila to conduct resupply missions and troop rotations at Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) confirmed on January 16.

The agreement builds on a provisional arrangement signed in July 2024, aimed at preventing altercations after a violent clash on June 17, 2024, at the Philippine-occupied shoal.

The BRP Sierra Madre, a World War II-era vessel deliberately grounded at Ayungin Shoal in 1999, remains a symbol of Philippine sovereignty and a military outpost. A small contingent of Filipino Navy personnel mans the aging ship, reinforcing the country’s claim over the contested waters.

Positive steps

The decision to sustain the resupply framework was made during the 10th round of the Bilateral Consultation Mechanism (BCM) held in Xiamen on January 16, where Philippine and Chinese officials addressed maritime disputes.

“The two sides exchanged views on the Provisional Understanding on the Philippines’ rotation and reprovisioning (RORE) missions to BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal, acknowledged its positive outcomes, and agreed to continue its implementation to sustain the de-escalation of tensions without prejudice to respective national positions,” the DFA said in a statement.

Despite progress at Ayungin Shoal, tensions remain high as China’s 165-meter-long coast guard vessel, dubbed the “monster ship”, continues to patrol near Scarborough Shoal and Zambales province.

Maritime incursions

Manila has protested the presence of China Coast Guard (CCG) 5901 and demanded its withdrawal, but the vessel remains in Philippine waters as of January 17.

Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Commodore Jay Tarriela revealed that the PCG has been actively challenging the ship. “Through radio communications, the PCG has reiterated that the presence of the China Coast Guard is not in compliance with the Philippine Maritime Zones Act, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and the 2016 Arbitral Award,” he said.

DFA Undersecretary Ma Theresa Lazaro, who led the Philippine delegation in Xiamen, expressed serious concern over China’s recent activities.

“Our position is clear and consistent, but so is our willingness to engage in dialogue. We firmly believe that despite the unresolved challenges and differences, there is genuine space for diplomatic and pragmatic cooperation in dealing with our issues in the South China Sea,” Lazaro said.

The June 2024 clash at Ayungin Shoal remains a painful reminder of the risks. Chinese forces rammed Philippine vessels, seized firearms, and threatened soldiers with knives, axes, and spears to block resupply missions. Several Filipino personnel were injured, including one who lost a thumb.

Manila has since demanded the return of its vessels and firearms. The United States, along with other global powers, has condemned the violence and reaffirmed its treaty obligation to defend the Philippines against hostile armed attacks.

Upholding sovereignty

Ayungin Shoal lies 105.77 nautical miles from Palawan and falls within the Philippines’ 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone under UNCLOS.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr reaffirmed the country’s maritime claims in November 2024 by signing laws demarcating its territories, a move that angered China.

Despite these tensions, Lazaro reiterated the Philippines’ commitment to diplomacy. She relayed President Marcos’ message that disputes must be resolved through dialogue and peaceful means.

Rubio warns China

Separately, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of state, urged China to “stop messing around” with the Philippines and Taiwan.

During his confirmation hearing on January 15, Rubio condemned Beijing’s “deeply destabilizing” actions and warned of potential global repercussions.

“The actions they are taking now are deeply destabilizing; they are forcing us to take counteractions because we have commitments to the Philippines and we have commitments to Taiwan that we intend to keep,” Rubio said.

He cautioned that any miscommunication or inadvertent conflict could trigger a crisis. 

“The Philippines feels threatened by it, rightfully so. If, God forbid, there is some miscommunication or some inadvertent conflict emerges there and we have obligations to them (the Philippines), the impact that it will have on the entire globe is enormous and that includes Europe,” he said.

As China continues its assertive actions, the Philippines remains steadfast in defending its sovereignty through diplomatic, legal, and military avenues.

Strengthening maritime defense

Meanwhile, to address security challenges, the Philippine Navy is expanding joint patrols with allies. Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad announced on January 14 that more Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activities (MMCAs) are planned for 2025, involving partners such as the United States, Japan, and Australia.

“The approach of the Philippine Navy and the Armed Forces when it comes to our treaty allies and other partner nations is to have more activities in our maritime domain covering not only Bajo de Masinloc (Panatag Shoal) but also the Northern Islands, the Eastern seaboard and the West Philippine Sea,” Trinidad said.

He added: “We expect more in 2025.”

Trinidad added that these activities enhance the Philippines’ capabilities and improve interoperability with modern naval forces. This expansion of joint patrols highlights the growing regional security cooperation aimed at countering external maritime challenges.

Underwater drones raise concerns

Moreover, the Philippine Navy continues to investigate five underwater drones found in various locations across the country. Fishermen discovered the devices, which were subsequently retrieved by the Navy.

Trinidad revealed that the first analyzed drone gathered data on salinity, oxygen levels, and water temperature, but he noted its potential military applications.

“This information will have commercial value. It will have academic value. With the crisscrossing of information right now, it could also have military purposes and applications,” he said.

Local fishermen found the recently recovered submersible in shallow waters near Barangay Inarawan in San Pascual, Masbate, on December 30, 2024. They turned it over to the Philippine Navy on December 31.

When asked if the underwater drone was operated by Chinese forces, he said “Open source would tell us the manufacturer. But again, this will not amount to anything. We need hard scientific evidence to say where this came from and what are the other parameters around its presence.”

Forensic analysis is ongoing to determine the drones’ origins, according to Trinidad. 

Photo credit: Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs. Philippine Foreign Undersecretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro (right) and Vice Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong met in Xiamen on January 16 for the 10th Bilateral Consultation Mechanism, discussing resupply missions to BRP Sierra Madre and the “monster ship” near Zambales.

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