Philippine, US welcome 'exchange of info' for Ayungin Shoal resupply

Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo clarified on Tuesday, July 30, that Manila's arrangement with Beijing for resupply missions at Ayungin Shoal involves an 'exchange of information' rather than mere notification.

Manalo emphasized during a joint press conference in Quezon City that the agreement reached was to exchange information and not solely notify China before such missions.

The Philippines stressed that the recent successful mission was due to both sides adhering to this understanding, despite several Chinese ships being present near Ayungin Shoal.

Previously, Filipino soldiers faced dangerous conditions during resupply missions, with incidents including water cannon use and boat ramming by Chinese vessels in June 2024.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken welcomed the agreement's successful implementation and emphasized that it should set a standard moving forward while reaffirming America's defense commitment to the Philippines under the Mutual Defense Treaty.