The Philippines on Monday dispatched two boats to bring food supplies to soldiers stationed at a disputed shoal in the South China Sea.
This came a week after Chinese coast guard ships blocked and fired water cannon at them.
Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the two boats were expected to reach Second Thomas Shoal, locally called Ayungin Shoal, on Tuesday.
Lorenzana said “the Chinese ambassador assured me they will not be impeded,” adding that the envoy requested that the boats are not escorted by Philippine government ships.
He said a Philippine navy plane would be in the vicinity when the supply boats reach Ayungin Shoal to monitor the trip.
The supply boats are the same vessels harassed by the Chinese coast guard ships on November 16, which prompted the Philippine government to file a protest and tell Beijing to back off.
On Monday, President Rodrigo Duterte expressed concern over the incident in Ayungin Shoal during a video conference between leaders of the Association of South-East Asian Nations and China.
“We abhor the recent event in the Ayungin Shoal and view with grave concern other similar developments,” he said in a speech at the conference.
“This does not speak well of the relations between our nations and our partnership.”
Ayungin Shoal lies 105 nautical miles west of the Philippines’ province of Palawan and is within the country’s 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone.
The Philippine navy ship BRP Sierra Madre has been anchored in the shoal since it ran aground in 1999, marking the country’s claim to the area.
