Philippine forces successfully resupplied BRP Sierra Madre (LT-57) without incident after reaching an agreement with China for provisions and personnel transfers to the Philippine outpost at Second Thomas Shoal.
BRP Sierra Madre
COLUMN | Beijing’s evolving multi-pronged strategy in the South China Sea [Naval Gazing]
China’s headlong maritime expansionism depends heavily upon achieving dominance of the South China Sea (SCS) and its environs. This dominance demands the establishment of control of many areas of the sea that are currently claimed by other nations. Beijing’s chosen tools to negate such claims are...
COLUMN | Chinese paramilitary forces to the fore as Beijing ramps up territorial claims [Naval Gazing]
Although collisions, confrontations, and harassment in the South China Sea (SCS) often make the headlines these days, the reach and depth of China’s strategy of intrusive patrolling as Beijing seeks to establish a persistent and dominant presence in the sea are not widely understood. The People’s...
OPINION | Australia must act fast on joint patrols with the Philippines
Enrique Manalo, the Philippines’ Foreign Affairs Secretary, made his feelings clear. “During our discussions,” he declared last week, standing alongside his Australian counterpart Penny Wong during a visit to Adelaide, “I emphasised that the West Philippine Sea, South China Sea remains of foremost...
OPINION | How China sees its conflict with the Philippines
Tensions are high again in the South China Sea. While Beijing attempts to tighten its grip on the region with a new ten-dash line, a multi-billion dollar military modernisation drive is underway in the Philippines. Manila’s resupply mission to the BRP Sierra Madre warship, deliberately grounded in...
Another stand-off in Asian waters
In recent months, long-standing tensions between the maritime forces of the Philippines and China in the South China Sea have crystallised over the disputed area of Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly Islands. In 1999, Manila deliberately grounded the old Philippine Navy landing ship BRP Sierra...
OPINION | The Philippines’ high-stakes options at Second Thomas Shoal
The Philippine Coast Guard’s highlighting of China’s harassment of its vessels near Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly Islands has undoubtedly boosted sympathy for Manila in its David-versus-Goliath struggle to maintain jurisdiction and sovereignty in the South China Sea. Under daily challenge from Beijing, the Philippines has run an effective name-and-shame campaign against China’s disruption […]
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VIDEO: China Coast Guard Blast Philippine Military Resupply with Water Cannons
Philippine Military resupply mission was hit with a water canon from a Chinese Coast Guard cutter. Philippine Military Photo
China Coast Guard cutters disrupted an Armed Forces of the Philippines resupply mission to Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly Islands, including instances where they fired water cannons, a Philippines Coast Guard spokesperson said Monday.
As Philippine Coast Guard patrol vessels BRP Malabrigo (MRRV-4402) and BRP Cabra (MRRV-4409) approached Sabina Shoal, the rendezvous...
Beijing ratchets up the pressure in the South China Sea
Taking advantage of the West’s focus on the war in Ukraine, China is rapidly bolstering its already dominant position in the South China Sea. Recent reports from Asian ..
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