By Junex Doronio
MANILA — All’s well that ends well.
Following the meeting of Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Enrique Manalo and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of the ministerial meeting in Laos, rotation and reprovisioning (RORE) mission for BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal resumed on Saturday (27 July 2024) without “untoward incidents.”
Manalo and Wang affirmed that a recently agreed arrangement in resupply missions in Ayungin Shoal will be honored.
“No untoward incidents were reported… It was the first RORE mission conducted under the ambit of the understanding reached between the Philippines and the People’s Republic of China on principles and approaches for the conduct of RORE missions in Ayungin Shoal for the purpose of avoiding misunderstandings and miscalculations, without prejudice to national positions,” the DFA said in a statement.
It added that the RORE mission utilized the civilian vessel MV Lapu-Lapu, escorted by Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessel BRP Cape Engaño.
“The lawful and routine RORE mission within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ) is a credit to the professionalism of the men and women of the Philippine Navy and the Philippine Coast Guard, and the close coordination among the National Security Council, Department of National Defense and the Department of Foreign Affairs,” the DFA further said.
It was gathered that during their meeting Friday night (26 July 2024) in the Laos capital of Vientiane, Manalo and Wang restated that the provisional arrangement at Ayungin Shoal will not prejiduce the territorial position of the Philippines and China in the South China Sea.
It can also be noted that in his third State of the Nation Address (SONA), President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said that while the government “cannot waver,” it “continuously [tries] to find ways to de-escalate tensions in contested areas with our counterparts, without compromising our position and our principles.”
(el Amigo/mnm)
