” IMPEDED AND ENCIRCLED”
The latest fight came four weeks after visiting Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the United States stood by its “ironclad” pledges to support longstanding alliance Manila against military assault in the South China Sea.
Two weeks after Blinken’s visit to Manila, the China Coast Guard even tried to drive aside Filipino experts who landed on two coast near Scarborough Shoal, another debated South China Sea rock.
The Unaizah May 4, which was also damaged in a China Coast Guard ocean shot strike off Second Thomas Shoal earlier this month, had returned to the place on Saturday escorted by two Filipino beach watch vessels and two Asian Navy ships, a Spanish military statement said.
The Philippine soldiers stationed on the shoal live on a derelict navy ship, the BRP Sierra Madre, and require frequent resupplies for food, water and other necessities.
” This particular mission was set up to ensure a full troop complement on board BRP Sierra Madre after one personnel needing serious medical attention was recently evacuated”, the military added.
Four crew members had been hurt by broken glass during the previous water cannon attack on the Unaizah May 4.
Commodore Jay Tarriela, a Philippine coast guard spokesman for South China Sea issues, said in a separate statement that its escort vessel, the BRP Cabra, was “impeded and encircled” by three Chinese coast guard and other vessels early Saturday.
As a result, Cabra was “isolated from the resupply boat due to the irresponsible and provocative behaviour of the Chinese maritime forces”, he added.