Chinese warships and coast guard cutters blocked a Philippine resupply mission to Second Thomas Shoal on Thursday, according to Manila’s National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea, which announced the incident on Friday. The mission was temporarily suspended after “dangerous maneuvers” by Chinese forces threatened a collision with the Philippine Navy-operated resupply ship Lapu Lapu, the Philippine maritime security agency said.
Two Philippine Coast Guard patrol vessels, BRP Malabrigo (MRRV-4402) and BRP Cabra (MRRV-4409), were supporting the resupply ship when Chinese forces intercepted the mission about 60 nautical miles from Second Thomas Shoal. The task force said Chinese forces “put Filipino personnel at risk and obstructed a legitimate humanitarian and sustainment operation.”
A Philippine Coast Guard graphic shows three Chinese cutters shadowing Cabra and Lapu Lapu. An additional force of 11 China Coast Guard and China Maritime Militia vessels was observed near the grounded World War II-era landing ship BRP Sierra Madre (LT-57) at Second Thomas and Sabina Shoals. The Armed Forces of the Philippines told ABS-CBN News that the People’s Liberation Army Navy deployed three warships, including two Type 022-class missile boats, to support the interception.
The encounter is the first publicly reported instance of China blocking a resupply mission since Manila and Beijing inked a provisional agreement in 2024 that enabled Philippine forces to access Second Thomas Shoal without harassment. The terms of that deal, put into practice in July 2024, are not publicly available. Chinese state media outlet Global Times reported that this week’s incident occurred because the Philippines did not get approval from Beijing to sail to the shoal. Manila has repeatedly denied that the agreement requires Chinese approval for access.
The waters around Sierra Madre have been tense in recent months. Philippine and Chinese sailors engaged in a melee with batons and oars in July, and armed Chinese small boats swarmed Second Thomas Shoal last year after a fatal incident at Scarborough Shoal. This week’s resupply mission coincided with a Philippine-led multinational maritime drill near Scarborough Shoal on Wednesday involving Association of Southeast Asian Nation member states and partners including the U.S., Australia, India and Japan.
Sources: DVIDS News · Defence Blog