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The Philippines has agreed with China on a “provisional deal” to resupply its military outpost on a disputed reef in the South China Sea, which has become one of the region’s most dangerous flashpoints, Manila said on Sunday.
Diplomats from both sides have reached an agreement on Philippine supply missions to Sierra Madre Mountainsa rusting warship on Second Thomas Shoal, after a series of consultations in recent weeks, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said in a statement. China did not immediately comment on the matter.
If the deal is confirmed and maintained, it could help defuse a spiral of violence that has lasted more than a year, in which Chinese coast guards have sabotaged trips by vessels chartered by the Philippine armed forces to deliver supplies to a small group of marines stationed on the reef.
In Beijing most violent move everIn June, the country’s coast guard rammed a Philippine vessel, boarded it, seized guns and used axes to puncture the Philippine vessel and threaten the Filipino sailors.
The clash raised concerns that the standoff could spark open conflict between China and the United States, an ally of Philippines This assured Manila that their mutual defense treaty applied to Second Thomas Shoal.
The reef lies within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, giving it sole use rights under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Beijing asserts it has sovereignty over it, along with ChinaChina’s claim to most of the South China Sea, but a 2016 arbitration ruling rejected that claim.
“Both sides continue to acknowledge the need to cool down the situation in the South China Sea and resolve differences through dialogue and consultation,” the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs said, adding that the agreement would “not affect each other’s positions in the South China Sea.”
Observers said doubts remained over whether the deal would succeed in easing tensions. “There is no sign that Beijing will give up its determination to erode Manila’s control over Second Thomas Shoal,” said a foreign diplomat in Manila.
The Chinese government previously claimed to have reached a “polite agreement” with Philippine officials on Sierra Madre-related agreements, but has since accused Manila of reneging on those agreements and continuing to violently sabotage Philippine supply missions using water cannons and other roadblocks.
Philippine officials said China had earlier offered to allow supplies such as food and water to the Philippine outpost on the condition that Manila notify Beijing in advance of the mission, commit to not bringing materials to stabilize the rusting Sierra Madre and allow Beijing to inspect the supply ships.
The announcement of the provisional agreement came after talks hosted by Manila on July 2 under the Bilateral Consultation Mechanism between the two countries on the South China Sea.
Additional reporting by Anantha Lakshmi in Jakarta
