The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) exchanged radio challenge with the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) during its resupply mission to transport supplies to troops on board BRP Sierra Madre at the Ayungin Shoal last Tuesday, August 22.

In a video posted by Agence France - Presse (AFP) News Agency, the CCG issued a radio challenge warning Philippine government-owned ships that they were not allowed to enter the Ayungin Shoal.

“To avoid miscalculations, leave and be calm. Otherwise, you’ll bear full responsibility for all the consequences,” it said.

The same video also showed that three CCG vessels attempted to block the Philippine supply ships.

In another video posted by AFP News Agency, a CCG official delivered a radio challenge asserting that China has “indisputable sovereignty over Nanshan Islands including Ren’ai Reef and its adjacent waters.”

As a response, a PCG told its counterpart it was conducting the resupply mission within the Philippine exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

“Your actions will affect Philippines-China relations and will be reported to concerned authorities. Over,” it said.

“In accordance with international and Philippine national laws, we are proceeding according to our planned route,” the PCG added.

But nonetheless, CCG then allowed the PH ships to pass by “in the spirit of humanism”.

“In the spirit of humanism, we only permit your ship carrying food and other necessary living material and the rotating personnel without construction material to illegally grounder vessel. Over,” it said.

After the successful resupply mission, the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) said the RoRe mission will continue regularly.

The task force said that this mission is part of the government's "legitimate exercise of its administrative functions" in the West Philippine Sea in adherence with the United Nations Conventions on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the 2016 Arbitral Ruling Award, and domestic laws.