MANILA, June 24 — The Philippines will continue with resupply missions to troops on an atoll in a disputed part of the South China Sea despite Chinese Coast Guard vessels deliberately disrupting a mission last week, said its Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro.
"It was not a misunderstanding or an accident. We are not downplaying the incident.
"It was an aggressive and illegal use of force," he told a press conference at the presidential palace today.
A Philippine sailor suffered serious injury after what its military described as "intentional-high speed ramming" by the Chinese Coast Guard, aiming to disrupt a resupply mission for troops stationed on the Second Thomas Shoal on June 17.
China's Foreign Ministry has disputed the Philippines' statements, with a spokesperson saying on Thursday (June 20) that the necessary measures taken by the Coast Guard were lawful, professional and beyond reproach.
Yesterday, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said that the Philippines is not in the business of instigating wars and would always aim to settle disputes peacefully.
— Reuters
