AFP Rejects China's Claim of 'Permitting' Ayungin Medical Evacuation

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Wednesday dismissed China's assertion that the China Coast Guard (CCG) had "permitted" the medical evacuation of an injured Filipino serviceman from Ayungin Shoal, insisting the operation was conducted under Philippine authority. In a statement, the AFP said the July 21 medical evacuation, carried out with the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), was undertaken within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone (EEZ) as part of the country's exercise of its sovereign rights. "The Philippines does not ask for, nor does it require, the permission of any foreign nation to conduct operations within its own Exclusive Economic Zone," the AFP said. The statement followed Monday's confrontation near the BRP Sierra Madre, where a Philippine Navy sailor was injured during an encounter with Chinese personnel. The incident led President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to summon Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan to Malacañang on Tuesday to discuss the latest developments in the West Philippine Sea and other national security concerns. The AFP reiterated that Ayungin Shoal is located within the Philippines' 200-nautical-mile EEZ, citing the 2016 Arbitral Award under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). It also rejected the CCG's statement that it had allowed the evacuation to proceed on humanitarian grounds. "Any claim by the CCG that it 'permitted' the operation is a false narrative intended to project illegitimate authority where none exists," the AFP said. According to the military, the BRP Sierra Madre is a commissioned Philippine Navy vessel, making the sustainment and medical care of its personnel a responsibility of the Philippine government. "It is the continued presence, interference, and harassment by Chinese vessels in the area that are unlawful and inconsistent with international law," it added. The AFP likewise lauded the PCG for its coordination and assistance during the evacuation, adding that the injured Navy personnel had already received medical treatment. The latest exchange followed a confrontation on Monday in which Chinese Coast Guard personnel allegedly hit a Philippine sailor with a wooden baton and damaged a Philippine rigid-hull inflatable boat near the grounded warship. The incident drew a strong response from the Philippine government, with Marcos describing the attack on Filipino personnel as "unacceptable" before calling in the Chinese envoy. China, for its part, also summoned the Philippine ambassador in Beijing as both countries exchanged diplomatic protests over the latest incident in the West Philippine Sea. The AFP also urged the People's Liberation Army Navy, the China Coast Guard, and China's maritime militia to stop what it described as illegal activities in the area and to comply with international law. "We remain steadfast in fulfilling our constitutional mandate to protect Philippine sovereignty and sovereign rights, and we will continue to conduct lawful operations throughout the West Philippine Sea without seeking the approval of China or any other foreign state," the AFP said.