22 October, 2023 In a serious escalation of tensions in the West Philippine Sea, Chinese vessels dangerously obstructed a Rotation and Resupply (RORE) mission to the BRP SIERRA MADRE (LS57) stationed at Ayungin Shoal, leading to two collisions early this morning.
About 0604H, China Coast Guard vessel 5203 (CCGV 5203) performed dangerous blocking maneuvers, resulting in a collision with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)-contracted resupply boat Unaiza May 2 (UM2) approximately 13.5 nautical miles east-northeast of Ayungin Shoal.
During the same RORE mission, a Chinese Maritime Militia vessel 00003 (CMMV 00003) bumped into Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessel MRRV 4409 approximately 6.4NM northeast of Ayungin Shoal.
Despite these interruptions, the RORE mission continues. The AFP’s contracted boat, Unaiza May 1 (UM1), successfully reached BRP Sierra Madre to deliver essential supplies to troops stationed on the grounded vessel.
The National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) condemned the latest actions of the China Coast Guard and Chinese Maritime Militia, labeling them as “provocative, irresponsible, and illegal.” In a strongly worded statement, the task force emphasized that these actions violate Philippine sovereignty, sovereign rights, and international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 2016 Arbitral Award.
NTF-WPS further denounces the deliberate disregard for international maritime conventions, including Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGS), which implement international regulations for preventing collisions at sea.
This incident is the latest in a series of confrontations in the disputed waters, as China continues its aggressive moves to grasp control over the contested region, disregarding international rulings and judgments that recognize the Philippines’ sovereignty over the area.