Philippine forces transported food, fuel and new personnel to a territorial outpost in a long-disputed shoal in the South China Sea, where Chinese government ships jammed communications during the hours-long supply mission. Media reports said, the transport by the Armed Forces of the Philippines of supplies and a fresh batch of navy personnel to the Second Thomas Shoal was successfully conducted without any untoward incident despite the presence of Chinese Coast Guard and other ships which have been guarding the periphery of the Philippines-occupied shoal for years. China has previously claimed the fishing atoll and virtually the entire South China Sea. It has repeatedly demanded that the Philippines pull away a grounded warship, the BRP Sierra Madre, from the Second Thomas Shoal. The Chinese Coast Guard jammed communications in and around the shoal while Philippine forces were delivering supplies to the Sierra Madre to prevent possible drone surveillance by the United States and other foreign forces, which have committed to help preserve the rule of law in the South China Sea, a key global trade route. Confrontations have been averted after China and the Philippines signed a temporary nonaggression arrangement in July 2024 to prevent new confrontations in the fishing atoll, which both Asian countries have long claimed. In August, however, China deployed more coast guard and suspected militia ships to the closely guarded shoal. Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan also claim parts of the South China Sea. While the United States holds no territorial claims, it has reiterated that it is treaty-bound to defend the Philippines in the event of an armed attack, including in the disputed waters.
