Philippine army flags ‘elevated Chinese language actions’ in Ayungin 

The Armed Forces of the Philippines studies water cannon drills, inflatable boats with ‘heavy crew-served weapons,’ and an try of 1 China Coast Guard small boat to go close to the BRP Sierra Madre

MANILA, Philippines – The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) late Thursday, August 21, stated it “noticed a rise” within the presence and actions of Chinese language vessels in Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal, a characteristic within the West Philippine Sea the place a Philippine army outpost is situated, throughout a Maritime Area Consciousness exercise final August 20. 

“China Coast Guard vessels have been seen conducting maneuvers and drills involving using water cannons at sea, whereas quite a lot of smaller craft akin to rigid-hulled inflatable boats (RHIBs) and quick boats have been additionally deployed contained in the shoal,” the AFP stated in a press release to media.

The army additionally launched photographs and video from its August 20 monitoring within the neighborhood of Ayungin Shoal. The Philippine mission — and the noticed Chinese language actions — comes simply over per week after two Chinese language ships, one coast guard and navy, collided in Scarborough Shoal, one other West Philippine Sea characteristic.

The two Chinese language vessels collided as they have been each chasing down a Philippine Coast Guard ship.

The shoal, situated over 100 nautical miles from Palawan, is a low-tide elevation that’s a part of the Philippines’ unique financial zone. Grounded in Ayungin Shoal since 1999 is the BRP Sierra Madre, a World Conflict II-era warship that now serves as an outpost within the shoal. Though dilapidated after many years at sea, the Sierra Madre is taken into account an lively obligation vessel of the AFP. 

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The AFP stated it additionally noticed that China Coast Guard quick boats have been “upgraded with mounted weapons, together with heavy crew-served weapons” in the course of the August 20 mission. In line with the AFP, 5 CCG vessels have been within the neighborhood of the shoal, accompanied by 11 smaller boats and 9 Chinese language maritime militia ships or fishing vessels that usually transfer in sync with the CCG. The AFP additionally monitored a Chinese language helicopter, in addition to an unmanned aerial car. 

One of many movies launched by the AFP confirmed two of its rubber boats blocking what they described as an “try of a Chinese language Coast Guard small boat to go close to BRP Sierra Madre (LS57).”

Ayungin is among the many flashpoint for tensions between Manila and Beijing within the West Philippine Sea, a part of the South China Sea that encompasses the Philippines’ unique financial zone. From 2023 to early 2024, Ayungin was witness to tense confrontations between Philippine and Chinese language maritime forces, significantly throughout rotation and resupply (RORE) missions to the BRP Sierra Madre. 

In June 2024, China Coast Guard personnel boarded and towed away the rigid-hulled inflatable boats of elite Philippine troopers throughout a RORE mission. One soldier misplaced his thumb as CCG boats rammed at their Filipino counterparts simply on the foot of the BRP Sierra Madre.

Manila has demanded compensation for the destroyed belongings and personnel belongings, in addition to the return of firearms seized from Filipino troopers. 

But it surely was that incident that led to a “provisional association” that has up to now led to largely incident-free ROREs of the Philippine army to the BRP Sierra Madre. – Rappler.com