Video Shows US Ally Resupplying Military Outpost in Disputed Waters
The Philippines has released footage showing a recent supply and troop rotation mission to Second Thomas Shoal, a hot spot in the country's long-running territorial feud with China.
China said it allowed the May 16 mission to proceed after notification by the Philippines, though the U.S. ally has maintained it "need not seek permission."
Newsweek reached out to the Philippine military and Chinese Foreign Ministry with emailed requests for comment.
Second Thomas Shoal-known in Manila as Ayungin Shoal and in Beijing as Ren'ai Reef-is situated within the Philippines' EEZ. The reef is uninhabited, except for a navy garrison stationed aboard a rusting warship, the BRP Sierra Madre, which the country deliberately grounded in 1999 to stake its claim.
China insists the rusting vessel's presence is illegal and accused its neighbor of smuggling in supplies to repair it. Beijing claims sovereignty over most features in the South China Sea, including Second Thomas Shoal, and in 2023 and 2024 took forceful measures-including blockades and water cannons-to obstruct supply missions.
Video shared by ABS-CBN show personnel aboard the Sierra Madre preparing to receive food and other supplies from the government-commissioned civilian vessel MV Lapu-Lapu.
Four Chinese coast guard ships were observed in the area "but did not do any coercive or aggressive actions," Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, a spokesperson for the Philippine Navy, told reporters on the sidelines of an ASEAN event in Pasay City.
It was the eighth such mission to take place without Chinese interference.
The two neighbors said they had reached a deal to manage future supply missions in July, just weeks after a particularly aggressive interception by Chinese maritime forces that left Philippine sailors injured and drew condemnation from several countries.
The exact terms of the agreement remain unclear, and each side has since accused the other of violating them.
"With the permission of the Chinese side, the Philippines sent a civilian boat to transport daily necessities to its illegal 'beached' warship at Ren'ai Reef," Chinese coast guard spokesperson Liu Dejun said in a May 20 statement. "It is hoped that the Philippines will honor its commitments, work with China in the same direction, and jointly manage the maritime situation."
Trinidad, the Philippine Navy spokesperson, pledged missions to the Sierra Madre would continue. "We need not seek permission from any foreign power, much more from one that has encroached into our exclusive economic zone. These missions will continue," he said.
China has accused the Philippines of violating an alleged promise not to deliver construction materials to the warship-turned-military outpost.
A former spokesperson for Rodrigo Duterte, the Southeast Asian country's president from 2016 to 2022, made waves last year after appearing to suggest the leader had made a "gentlemen's agreement" to that effect in exchange for maintaining the status quo in the area.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who took office in June 2022, has denied any knowledge of such an arrangement and said he was "horrified" by the idea.
South China Sea Probing Initiative, a Beijing-based think tank, wrote on X (formerly Twitter): "The gentleman's agreement works again. The China Coast Guard reported that under China's surveillance, the Philippines had just completed a supply mission without the Philippine Coast Guard for the grounded warship at Second Thomas Shoal on May 16."
China will almost certainly continue pressing its claims within the Philippine EEZ and will most likely continue to face pushback from the Philippines.
The Marcos administration enjoys broad support on the South China Sea issue, with a November poll showing that 84 percent of Filipinos back the government's pushback.
Related Articles
Green Card Holder Who Came to US as Young Child Detained Returning to USWATCH: Chinese Ship Blasts US Ally With Water CannonUS and Ally's Joint Forces Send Warning to ChinaChina Research Ship 'Loitering' Near Undersea Cables: Report
2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
35 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Labour is cosying up to China after years of rollercoaster relations
The sprawling city of Chongqing in southwestern China is an incredible sight. Built on mountainous terrain and crisscrossed by rivers, it is connected by vast elevated roads. Trains even run through some buildings. TikTokers have begun documenting their commutes in the striking urban architecture, generating millions of likes and much hype. But it is also where, on a somewhat quieter trip, mayors and their deputies from the UK recently visited - the largest British civic delegation to visit the country in modern history. The whole trip, which took place in March, received substantial Chinese media coverage, despite flying more under the radar in the UK. The impression it left on some of the politicians who travelled there was vast. "[The city is] what happens if you take the planning department and just say 'yes' to everything," reflects Howard Dawber, deputy London mayor for business. "It's just amazing." The group travelled to southern Chinese cities, spoke to Chinese mayors and met Chinese tech giants. So impressed was one deputy mayor that, on returning home, they bought a mobile phone from Chinese brand Honor (a stark contrast from the days the UK banned Huawei technology from its 5G networks, just a few years ago). Roughly half-a-dozen deals were signed on the back of the trip. The West Midlands, for example, agreed to establish a new UK headquarters in Birmingham for Chinese energy company EcoFlow. But the visit was as much about diplomacy as it was trade, says East Midlands deputy mayor Nadine Peatfield, who attended. "There was a real hunger and appetite to rekindle those relationships." To some, it was reminiscent of the "golden era" of UK-China relations, a time when then-Prime Minister David Cameron and Chinese President Xi Jinping shared a basket of fish and chips and a pint. Those days have long felt far away. Political ties with China deteriorated under former UK Conservative Prime Ministers Boris Johnson, Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss. The last UK prime minister to visit China was Theresa May, in 2018. But the recent delegation - and the talk of Sir Keir Starmer possibly visiting China later this year - suggests a turning point in relations. But to what greater intent? The course correction seemed to begin with the closed-door meeting between Sir Keir and Chinese President Xi in Brazil last November. The prime minister signalled that Britain would look to cooperate with China on climate change and business. Since then, Labour's cautious pursuit of China has primarily focused on the potential financial upsides. In January, Chancellor Rachel Reeves co-chaired the first UK-China economic summit since 2019, in Beijing. Defending her trip, she said: "Choosing not to engage with China is no choice at all." Reeves claimed re-engagement with China could boost the UK economy by £1bn, with agreements worth £600m to the UK over the next five years — partially achieved through lifting barriers that restrict exports to China. Soon after, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband resumed formal climate talks with China. Miliband said it would be "negligence" to future generations not to have dialogue with the country, given it is the world's biggest carbon emitter. Labour simply describes its approach as "grown-up". But it all appears to be a marked shift from the last decade of UK-China relations. During the so-called "golden era", from 2010, the UK's policy towards China was dominated by the Treasury, focusing on economic opportunities and appearing to cast almost all other issues, including human rights or security, aside. By September 2023, however, Rishi Sunak said he was "acutely aware of the particular threat to our open and democratic way of life" posed by China. Labour claimed in its manifesto that it would bring a "long-term and strategic approach". China has a near monopoly on extracting and refining rare earth minerals, which are critical to manufacturing many high-tech and green products. For example, car batteries are often reliant on lithium, while indium is a rare metal used for touch screens. This makes China a vital link in global supply chains. "China's influence is likely to continue to grow substantially globally, especially with the US starting to turn inwards," says Dr William Matthews, a China specialist at Chatham House think tank. "The world will become more Chinese, and whilst that is difficult for any Western government, there needs to be sensible engagement from the get-go." Andrew Cainey, a director of the UK National Committee on China, an educational non-profit organisation, says: "China has changed a lot since the Covid-19 pandemic. To have elected officials not having seen it, it's a no brainer for them to get back on the ground". Certainly many in the UK's China-watching community believe that contact is an essential condition to gain a clearer-eyed view of the opportunities posed by China, but also the challenges. The opportunities, some experts say, are largely economic, climate and education-related. Or as Kerry Brown, Professor of Chinese Studies at King's College London, puts it: "China is producing information, analysis and ways of doing things that we can learn from". He points to the intellectual, technological, AI, and life sciences opportunities. Not engaging with China would be to ignore the realities of geopolitics in the 21st century, in Dr Matthew's view, given that it is the world's second largest economy. However he also believes that engagement comes with certain risks. But Charles Parton, who spent 22 years of his diplomatic career working in or on China, raises questions about the UK's economic and national security. For example, the government is reportedly weighing up proposals for a Chinese company to supply wind turbines for an offshore windfarm in the North Sea. Mr Parton warns against allowing China access to the national grid: "It wouldn't be difficult in a time of high tension to say, 'by the way, we can turn off all your wind farms'". But earlier this year, the China Chamber of Commerce to the EU issued a statement expressing concern over the "politicisation" of deals between wind developers in Europe and Chinese turbine suppliers. Xi's real test is not Trump's trade war North and South Korea are in an underground war - Kim Jong Un might now be winning The Conservative Party faces problems - is its leader one of them? James Sullivan, director of Cyber and Tech at defence think tank Rusi, notes there are also some questions around cyberspace. "China's activities in cyberspace appear to be more strategically and politically focused compared to previous opportunistic activities," he says. As for defence, the UK's recently published defence review describes China as a "sophisticated and persistent challenge", with Chinese technology and its proliferation to other countries "already a leading challenge for the UK". Ken McCallum, MI5 director general, meanwhile, has previously warned of a sustained campaign on an "epic scale" of Chinese espionage abroad. But Prof Brown pushes back on some concerns about espionage, saying some media narratives about this are a "fairytale". Beijing has always dismissed accusations of espionage as attempts to "smear" China. Sir Keir and his team will no doubt be closely monitoring how this is all viewed by Washington DC. Last month, President Donald Trump's trade advisor Peter Navarro described Britain as "an all too compliant servant of Communist China", urging the UK against deepening economic ties. "When it comes to foreign policy towards China, America's influence on policy will be quite substantive compared with say continental Europe," says Dr Yu Jie of China Foresight at LSE IDEAS think tank. Most analysts I speak to in both the UK and China are still clear on the need for the two countries to get back in the same room, even if they differ on where to draw the line: in which areas should Westminster cooperate and where should it stay clear. These red lines have not yet been drawn, and experts say that without some kind of playbook, it is difficult for businesses and elected officials to know how to engage. "You can only keep firefighting specific issues for so long without developing a systematic plan," warns Mr Cainey. Certain thorny issues have arisen, including Chinese investments in the UK. For example in April when the government seized control of British Steel from its former Chinese owner Jingye, to prevent it from being closed down, Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds admitted that he would "look at a Chinese firm in a different way" when considering investment in the UK steel industry. China's foreign ministry spokesperson, Lin Jian, warned that Labour should avoid "linking it to security issues, so as not to impact the confidence of Chinese enterprises in going to the UK". After Starmer met Xi last year, he said the government's approach would be "rooted in the national interests of the UK", but acknowledged areas of disagreement with China, including on human rights, Taiwan and Russia's war in Ukraine. Securing the release of pro-democracy activist and British citizen Jimmy Lai from a Hong Kong prison is, he has said, a "priority" for the government. Labour's manifesto broadly pledged: "We will cooperate where we can, compete where we need to, and challenge where we must." What is still lacking, however, is the fine print. Asked about the British government's longer-term strategy, Mr Parton replied: "No.10 doesn't have a strategy." He tells me he has some specific advice: "Go with your eyes open," he says. "But have a clear idea of what needs protecting, and a willingness to take some short-term financial hits to protect long-term national security." Labour has suggested that some clarity on their approach will be provided through the delayed China "audit", a cross-government exercise launched last year, which will review the UK's relations with China. The audit is due to be published this month, but many doubt that it will resolve matters. "If we see a visit from Starmer to Beijing, that will be an indication that the two sides have actually agreed with something, and that they would like to change and improve their bilateral relationship," says Dr Yu. But many people in Westminster remain China-sceptic. And even if the audit helps Britain better define what it wants out of its relationship with China, the question remains, do MPs and businesses have the China-related expertise to get the best out of it? According to Ruby Osman, China analyst at the Tony Blair Institute, there is an urgent need to build the UK's China capabilities in a more holistic way, focusing on diversifying the UK's points of contact with China. "If we want to be in a position where we are not just listening to what Beijing and Washington want, there needs to be investment in the talent pipeline coming into government, but also think tanks and businesses who work with China," she argues. And if that's the case, then irrespective of whether closer ties with China is viewed as a security threat, an economic opportunity, or something in between, the UK might be in a better position to engage with the country. Top image credit: PA BBC InDepth is the home on the website and app for the best analysis, with fresh perspectives that challenge assumptions and deep reporting on the biggest issues of the day. And we showcase thought-provoking content from across BBC Sounds and iPlayer too. You can send us your feedback on the InDepth section by clicking on the button below.
Yahoo
37 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Dollar edges down as trade tensions simmer ahead of jobs data
By Kevin Buckland TOKYO (Reuters) -The dollar drifted lower on Wednesday as the market looked ahead to U.S. employment data for immediate trading cues, while waiting on developments in President Donald Trump's tariff negotiations with key trading partners including China. The Trump administration has given a Wednesday deadline for countries to submit their best offers on trade, the same day a doubling of duties to 50% on imported steel and aluminium comes into effect. Trump is also tipped by the White House to have a call this week with Chinese President Xi Jinping after the two sides accused each other of violating the terms of an agreement last month to roll back some tariffs. In the meantime, macroeconomic indicators have returned as a driver of the U.S. currency this week, even if trade frictions remain centre stage. The dollar slumped 0.8% against major peers on Monday following a contraction in manufacturing, only to rebound by almost the same amount overnight after a surprise increase in U.S. job openings. Early on Wednesday, the dollar was down 0.09% at 143.82 yen and the euro was up 0.13% at $1.1385. The dollar index, which measures the currency against those two peers and four other counterparts, was flat at 99.159. Traders will have an eye on the ADP employment report later in the day, in the run-up to crucial U.S. monthly payrolls figures on Friday. "Job openings were much stronger than expected," Commonwealth Bank of Australia analyst Joseph Capurso said of the overnight JOLTS data, which is closely watched by the Federal Reserve. "The low estimate for ADP means the USD and U.S. bond yields have a small hurdle to climb for a positive surprise tonight." Elsewhere, the Australian dollar was little changed at $0.6460 ahead of the release of GDP figures. South Korea's won strengthened about 0.2% to 1,375.25 per dollar after the victory of liberal candidate Lee Jae-myung in the country's presidential election. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Epoch Times
37 minutes ago
- Epoch Times
2 Chinese Nationals Charged With Visa Fraud, Smuggling ‘Agroterrorism Weapon' Into US
Two Chinese nationals, including one who works at the University of Michigan, were charged on June 2 with visa fraud, conspiracy, making false statements, and smuggling a pathogen into the United States. This comes amid the Trump administration's announcement of 'aggressively'
