DFA: Provisional PH-China Arrangement Reduces Ayungin Shoal Incidents

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) reported on Thursday that a provisional agreement between the Philippines and China regarding resupply missions to Ayungin Shoal has resulted in fewer confrontations between the two nations in the area. This disclosure came during a hearing by the House Committee on Appropriations concerning the DFA's proposed P35.17-billion budget for 2027. Foreign Affairs Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro stated that a key provision of this arrangement is that it "does not prejudice the positions that we have had," referring to the Philippines' stance under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 2016 Arbitral Award. She clarified that this is a "provisional arrangement only in this particular shoal, the Ayungin Shoal, because this is with particular reference only to the Sierra Madre ship." The BRP Sierra Madre, a Philippine vessel, has been deliberately run aground at Ayungin Shoal and serves as a critical Philippine outpost in the disputed waters. Philippine authorities regularly conduct rotation and resupply missions to the shoal to provide necessary supplies and personnel relief. The DFA indicated that there were 16 rotation and resupply missions that were implemented without any incidents over the past two years. Additionally, DFA Assistant Secretary Robespierre Bolivar mentioned that the department "has occasions to issue formal protests when it comes to very specific statements of the foreign ministry and the Chinese government." This provisional arrangement offers a temporary de-escalation in the immediate vicinity of Ayungin Shoal, but the fundamental issues of territorial claims and maritime rights in the West Philippine Sea remain unresolved. The Philippines continues to assert its sovereign rights and will likely maintain its diplomatic and maritime presence in the face of ongoing challenges from China. Source: GMA News Philippines