South China Sea Incident between the Philippines and China

Philippine units were carrying supplies for military personnel at Second Thomas Shoal atoll occupied by the Philippines, which China considers their territory.

As Locsin said during an incident that occurred 16 b.m., no one suffered, but Filipino boats had to give up the mission.

Loksin described the actions of Chinese ships as "illegal" and recalled that ships marine forces shall be protected under the provisions of the Mutual Defence Agreement between the Philippines and the United States.

The chief of diplomacy reported that he had given the Chinese embassy in Manila the condemnation of these actions "in the most acute possible way" as well as the words "injury and protest". He also warned – as he said – that "no restraint (from China) threatens special relations" between the two countries.

Manila considers the Atol Second Thomas Shoal, located 195 km southwest of the Filipino Palawan area, to be lying within its 200-mile economic zone. The Philippines has occupied this atoll since 1999 after deliberately sinking its ship on the coral reef.

China considers practically all South China's waters to be its sphere of influence atoll as part of its territory despite the fact that the Hague Court of Arbitration granted this atoll to the Philippines in 2016.

Source: PAP