China on Wednesday demanded the removal of the BRP Sierra Madre in the Ayungin Shoal, which Beijing claimed again as its own.
"Ren'ai Jiao is part of China's Nansha Qundao. China demands that the Philippine side honor its commitment and remove its grounded vessel on Ren'ai Jiao," said China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian in a press briefing.
Ren'ai Jiao is the name that China uses to refer to the Ayungin Shoal. It claims that the area is part of its Nansha Qundao, or the highly disputed Spratly Islands.
The Philippines left the BRP Sierra Madre in the Ayungin Shoal in an attempt to assert its sovereignty there.
In a supply mission last week, two Philippine vessels that were on a resupply mission to BRP Sierra Madre were "blocked and water cannoned" by the Chinese Coast Guard, drawing condemnation from the country.
The ships eventually completed the resupply mission on Tuesday, according to Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, who said it was finished "without any untoward incident."
Rear Admiral Ramil Enriquez, commander of the Armed Forces of the Philippines - Western Command, noted however that there was still a lone Chinese Coast Guard boat in the area.
China commented that the completed resupply mission was done out of "humanitarian considerations," and their Coast Guard ship was there to perform its duty of monitoring the Philippine ship's activities.
"This delivery of food and other supplies is a provisional, special arrangement out of humanitarian considerations," Zhao said.
"The China Coast Guard ship patrolled and performed its duty in the water area in accordance with law and monitored from start to end the Philippine side's supply delivery activities."
