Philippines, China agree on arrangement for RoRe to BRP Sierra Madre
The Philippines and China have reached an understanding on the provisional arrangement for the resupply of daily necessities and rotation missions to the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Sunday.
This followed an announcement, revealed early this week, that the Philippines and China have signed an agreement that raised to presidential offices and foreign ministries the level of officials who may call each other under an emergency mechanism if an incident occurs in the South China Sea.
''This was achieved after a series of consultations following the frank and constructive discussions between the two sides during the 9th Bilateral Consultation Mechanism (BCM) on the South China Sea in Manila on 2 July 2024,'' the DFA said.
''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,'' it added.
Details of Sunday's announcement were not furnished by the DFA.
The agreement was the result of the July 2 meeting which was held two weeks after China blocked a rotation and resupply mission at Ayungin Shoal. Several Filipino soldiers on a Navy boat bringing food and supplies were injured and one lost his right thumb.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said what the Chinese did was '' deliberate and illegal'' and demand that Beijing return the vessels and guns.
In the July 2 meeting, Philippine Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro and Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong agreed to find a ''mutually acceptable resolution to the issues inspite of ''significant differences'' in their countries' positions.
China previously said the Philippines should honor an agreement by former and current Philippine officials honor an agreement done in private to bring only food and necessary supplies to the BRP Sierra Madre and that it will inform Beijing. The Philippines rejected this.
Despite a ruling by a Netherlands-based international court in 2016 invalidating China's sweeping claims in the South China Sea, Beijing has ignored this.
China insists that Ayungin Shoal where BRP Sierra Madre is berthed is theirs based on the 10-dash line, which the Philippines dismissed. Ayungin is 105.77 nautical miles from Palawan. DMS
