The BRP Sierra Madre, a marooned transport ship which Philippine Marines live on as a military outpost, is pictured in the disputed Second Thomas Shoal, part of the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea March 30, 2014. REUTERS/Erik De Castro
(Reuters) – The Philippines will not remove a dilapidated navy ship grounded on an atoll in the South China Sea, its defense chief said on Thursday, rejecting a demand by China after it blocked a mission to resupply the vessel’s crew.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana dismissed China’s assertion on Wednesday that the Philippines had committed to remove the BRP Sierra Madre, which was intentionally grounded at the Second Thomas shoal in 1999 to reinforce Manila’s sovereignty claims in the Spratly archipelago.
The 100 meter-long (330-ft) tank landing ship was built for the U.S. Navy during World War Two.
“That ship has been there since 1999. If there was commitment it would have been removed a long time ago,” Lorenzana told reporters.
Related Article :Rusty Ships and Unused Aircraft Carriers: the Other Side of Asia’s Militaries
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian on Wednesday said Beijing “demands the Philippine side honor its commitment and remove its illegally grounded vessel.”
The Second Thomas Shoal, 105 nautical miles (195 km) off Palawan, is the temporary home of a small contingent of military aboard the rusty ship, which is stuck on a reef.
China claims the majority of the South China Sea as its own, using a “nine-dash line” on maps that an international arbitration ruling in 2016 said has no legal basis.
The Second Thomas Shoal is within the Philippines’ 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone, as outlined in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), to which China is a signatory.
“We have two documents attesting that we have sovereign rights in our EEZ while they don’t, and their claims have no basis,” Lorenzana said.
“China should abide by its international obligations that it is part of.”
President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday told a summit hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping that he “abhors” China’s recent actions at the shoal. (Reporting by Karen Lema; Editing by Martin Petty)
Join the gCaptain Club for curated content, insider opinions, and vibrant community discussions.
Join the 110,190 members that receive our newsletter.
Have a news tip? Let us know.
by John Konrad (gCaptain) Amidst the intense conflict with Hamas, Israel’s Eilat-Ashkelon pipeline -linking oil tanker ports on the Gulf Of Aqaba to Haifa – has emerged as a critical...
by John Konrad (gCaptain) In the age of increased cyber threats and vulnerabilities, safeguarding a business extends beyond the perimeter of one’s organization. Speaking at the Marine Money Week Conference...
By Soo-hyang Choi and Ju-min Park SEOUL, March 24 (Reuters) – North Korea has tested a new nuclear-capable underwater attack drone, state media reported on Friday, as leader Kim Jong Un warned...
Access exclusive insights, engage in vibrant discussions, and gain perspectives from our CEO.
Sign Up
Maritime and offshore news trusted by our 110,190 members delivered daily straight to your inbox.
Essential news coupled with the finest maritime content sourced from across the globe.
Sign Up
Join The Club
