Jul 27. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Chinese Coast Guard has not detected any problems during the resupply operation that began on Saturday at the Philippine military post ‘Sierra Madre’, in waters disputed between the two countries.
Beijing and Manila signed a deal last weekend, a timely development amid months of tension in the South China Sea, to resupply the post, a World War II warship.
China Coast Guard spokesman Gan Yu told the official Xinhua news agency that the Chinese maritime force will supervise the entire process from beginning to end and expressed hope that “the Philippine side remains committed to working with China to maintain control over the situation at sea.”
China, which claims almost all of the South China Sea, had in recent months obstructed Philippine resupply missions to the warship, but the deal added to signs that both sides are willing to ease tensions that reached a fever pitch last month when a Filipino sailor lost a thumb as maritime clashes escalated.
Two weeks ago, media reported that the two countries are planning to raise a maritime dispute hotline to the offices of Presidents Xi Jinping and Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and their foreign ministers.
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