The latest resupply mission for troops on the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal saw “for the first time” the participation of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in the attempt by the Chinese to block the operation, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesman for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela said yesterday. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Tarriela said a PLA-Navy ship with bow number 630 approached BRP Sindangan within a distance of only 0.5 nautical miles in a maneuver apparently meant to keep the Philippine vessel from getting close to the Sierra Madre. Philippine resupply vessels were able to evade the Chinese eventually to unload their cargo on the Sierra Madre.

Ong, G., Clapano, J. R., Tupas, E., & Cayabyab, M. J. (2023, October 8). PCG spots China PLA assets during Ayungin resupply. The Philippine Star, pp. 1, 3.