China opposes Philippines' resupply mission to Ayungin Shoal

China on Friday expressed firm opposition to the Philippines’ latest resupply mission to Ayungin Shoal, which it claims and calls Ren'ai Reef.

In a statement, the spokesperson of China Coast Guard said two replenishment ships and two Coast Guard vessels from the Philippines entered the shoal’s vicinity waters “without the permission of the Chinese government” and illegally transported construction materials to the grounded BRP Sierra Madre.

“China has indisputable sovereignty over the Nansha Islands, including the Ren'ai Reef, and its adjacent waters, and firmly opposes the illegal transportation of construction materials by the Philippines to the illegal grounded warship,” it said. 

It added that the China Coast Guard strictly warned, tracked, and monitored the Philippine vessels and "effectively regulated them."

“The CCG will continue to carry out law enforcement activities in the sea areas under China's jurisdiction according to law,” it further said.

Earlier in the day, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) announced that it successfully completed another replenishment mission to troops stationed at the commissioned navy ship in Ayungin Shoal.

This is the third resupply mission after the August 5 incident where the CCG used water cannons against the Philippine Coast Guard fleet conducting a similar mission.

Another resupply mission was conducted and completed on August 22.

A Philippine ship, BRP Sierra Madre, has been grounded at the Ayungin Shoal since 1999. The ship, which is manned by more than a dozen marines and sailors, has become a symbol of Philippine sovereignty in the offshore territory.

Ayungin Shoal is part of the Kalayaan Island Group, which is an integral part of the Philippines, as well as the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, over which the country has sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction.

Former US Air Force official and ex-Defense Attaché Ray Powell, who has been monitoring the mission, earlier in the day said Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) ships BRP Cabra and BRP Sindangan escorted the resupply boats.

Powell also said two China Coast Guard ships and 10 maritime militia vessels were "blocking" entrance to Ayungin Shoal.

"Previous resupply missions encountered 'dark' China Coast Guard ships (not broadcasting automatic information system, or AIS). Unclear if dark ships present today, but forward deployment of so many militia ships suggests fewer CCG than before," Powell said on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Humanitarian reasons

Last month, the Chinese government said they only allowed Manila’s resupply mission for “humanitarian reasons” — a statement the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) rejected.

"The videos and the photos are telling that there's no humanitarian consideration or humanist consideration that they have extended. They are willing to block the resupply boats of the Philippine government," PCG spokesperson on the West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela said.

The Chinese government claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea (SCS), including the West Philippine Sea (WPS) as it ignores an international ruling that invalidates its massive claims.

In July 2016, the UN Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, based on a case filed by Manila, junked China's nine-dash line claim covering the entire SCS. Beijing has refused to acknowledge the ruling.—Sundy Locus/AOL, GMA Integrated News