China, Philippines ‘agree’ on South China Sea resupply missions: Manila

MANILA: The Philippines and China have “reached an understanding on the provisional arrangement” for resupply missions to a beached naval ship in the South China Sea, Manila’s foreign ministry said in a statement on Sunday.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) did not provide details on the arrangement for the Philippines’ resupply missions to the Sierra Madre in the Second Thomas Shoal.

But it said it followed “frank and constructive discussions” between the two sides at the Bilateral Consultation Mechanism earlier this month.

“Both sides continue to recognize the need to de-escalate the situation in the South China Sea and manage differences through dialogue and consultation and agree that the agreement will not prejudice each other’s positions in the South China Sea,” the DFA said.

The Chinese embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment on a weekend.

Manila deliberately beached the Philippine naval ship in 1999 to reinforce its claims over disputed waters around the shoal and it has since maintained a small contingent of sailors.

Philippine security officials also said on Sunday it will carry out the resupply missions on its own despite an offer from the United States for help.