Manila: The Philippines and China have agreed on principles for de-escalation in the South China Sea to deliver personnel and cargo to a grounded Philippine warship on disputed Ayungin Shoal, the Philippine Foreign Ministry said.
“The Philippines and the People’s Republic of China have reached an understanding of principles and approaches that will be observed by both sides in order to avoid misunderstanding and miscalculation in the conduct of the Philippines’ lawful and routine rotation and resupply missions to the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal,” the ministry said in a statement on Sunday.
The current agreement was reached after a series of consultations following constructive discussions between the two states during the 9th Bilateral Consultation Mechanism on the South China Sea in Manila on July 2, 2024, the ministry added.
Manila will continue to defend its rights and jurisdiction, including over Ayungin Shoal, in accordance with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, the statement read.
Ayungin Shoal, also known as Second Thomas Shoal, is a disputed reef claimed by the Philippines, China, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam. The Philippine navy deploys a small Marine contingent on the US-built Philippine navy ship Sierra Madre, which was deliberately run aground in 1999 in response to China’s territorial claims.
The territorial affiliation of a number of islands and reefs in the South China Sea has been the subject of disputes between China, the Philippines and several other Asia-Pacific countries for decades. Significant oil and gas reserves have been discovered on the continental shelf of those islands, including the Paracel Islands, Thitu Island, Scarborough Shoal and the Spratly Islands, with the Whitson Reef being part.
In July 2016, following a lawsuit filed by the Philippines, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled that China has no grounds for territorial claims in the South China Sea. The court ruled that the islands are not disputed territory and do not constitute an exclusive economic zone, but Beijing refused to recognize or accept the ruling.
