China has demanded that the Philippines tow away a warship that was grounded at the contested Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea. The Philippines ran aground the BRP Sierra Madre in 1999 to stake its claim on the atoll. This has led to tensions with China, which routinely dispatches coast guard and paramilitary ships to confront convoys delivering supplies to the contingent of Philippine marines stationed on the ship. China has accused the Philippines of delivering construction materials to repair the warship and has warned against attempts to build fixed facilities and a permanent outpost on the reef.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning stated at a press conference that the Philippines needs to honor commitments and understandings and stop provocations in order to ease tensions. China’s first demand is for the Philippines to tow away the warship and restore the reef to its original state. Beijing has also stated that Manila can send living necessities to the Sierra Madre out of humanitarianism, but only after giving advance notice and allowing on-site verification by China. The Philippines has been urged to refrain from sending large amounts of construction materials to the warship, as China will not accept any attempts to build permanent facilities on the reef.
There have been reports of a supposed gentlemen’s agreement between former Philippine President Duterte and China not to reinforce Second Thomas Shoal in exchange for China maintaining the status quo in the area. However, a former advisor to Duterte has denied the existence of such an agreement, clarifying that it was meant to apply to the entire Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). President Marcos has denied any knowledge of such an arrangement and expressed horror at the idea of compromising Philippine territory and sovereignty through a secret agreement. He plans to seek clarification on the issue with the Chinese ambassador to Manila.
President Marcos and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met with U.S. President Joe Biden at the White House for a summit addressing China’s actions in the South China Sea. The leaders condemned China’s militarization of artificial islands, its use of coast guard and maritime militia vessels, and its efforts to disrupt offshore resource exploitation by other countries. In talks with President Biden, Marcos reaffirmed the Mutual Defense Treaty between the Philippines and the United States, which applies anywhere in the Pacific. The leaders emphasized the importance of working together to address challenges posed by China’s actions in the region.
