Thread by @GordianKnotRay

1/🚨BREAKING: The 🇵🇭#Philippines is sending another resupply mission toward 2nd Thomas (Ayungin) Shoal today. @coastguardph's 44m BRP Sindangan is escorting, accompanied by 97m BRP Melchora Aquino across Sabina Shoal, while 44m BRP Cabra approaches from the SE. [🧵1/x]

2/🇨🇳#China's blockading force includes 15 militia ships + 2 back near Mischief Reef + 3 en route.
4 coast guard ships also blocking but not broadcasting AIS are 21551 & 21555. CCG 21556 seen earlier.
Zhouyu-class cutter Hai Jing 3303 in shadowing position near BRP Cabra. [🧵2/x]

3/Of 🇨🇳#China's 15 total militia ships, only 7 were on scene 24 hours ago.
The other 8 raced over yesterday from stations off Johnson Reef (5), Gavan Reefs (2) & 🇵🇭#Philippines-held Thitu Island (1).
Another 3 more militia are still inbound from Fiery Cross Reef. [🧵3/x]

4/Total 24 🇨🇳 ships:
Blockade: 13x Qiong Sansha Yu 112, 116, 209, 210, 212, 214, 215, 223, 225, 227, 228, 229, 301; 2x Qiong Qiong Hai Yu 11003, 11004; 4x CCG 3303, 21551, 21555, 21556
2x S of Mischief: Qiong Sansha Yu 003, 110
3x from Fiery Cross: Qiong Sansha Yu 105, 201, 202

5/This is the first time since March 30 that BRP Melchora Aquino (MRRV-9702) has participated in a 2TS resupply mission, though sister ship BRP Teresa Magbanua (MRRV-9701) escorted the 15 June resupply.
These are the 2 largest vessels in the @coastguardph's inventory. [🧵5/x]

6/🇯🇵#Japan pledged to help @coastguardph get 5 more 97m vessels, likely inspired by the 🇵🇭#Philippines' new assertive transparency policy, which has made 🇨🇳#China's blockade of the 🇵🇭 outpost at Second Thomas Shoal plain for the world to see. [🧵6/x]
cnnphilippines.com/news/2023/11/5…

To clarify: At least 4 total China Coast Guard ships involved in blockading force: 1 broadcasting AIS (CCG 3303) shadowing BRP Sindangan; 3 "dark"/not broadcasting AIS in blocking position: 21551, 21555 and probably 21556.

7/🇵🇭#Philippines Coast Guard BRP Sindangan & BRP Melchora Aquino are now entering the outer line of the blockade. 🇨🇳#China Coast Guard 3303, 21551 & 21555 plus 5 militia ships are in close proximity. Two Vietnamese vessels (probably fishing ships) also in the area. [🧵7/x]

8/Both 🇵🇭@coastguardph ships (BRP Sindangan & Melchora Aquino) now being harassed by 🇨🇳#China Coast Guard & militia ships conducting dangerous blocking maneuvers). [🧵8/x]

9/At more than twice the length of 🇵🇭the BRP Sindangan, the 97-meter 🇵🇭BRP Melchora Aquino is drawing a lot of attention from the blockading 🇨🇳 vessels. [🧵9/x]

10/Meanwhile to the south the 🇵🇭BRP Cabra has drawn its own blocking force of militia ships. [🧵10/x]

11/🇵🇭BRP Sindangan appears to be closely engaged with🇨🇳militia ship Qiong Sansha Yu 00229. [🧵11/x]

12/🇵🇭BRP Sindangan blocked by 2 🇨🇳#China Coast Guard & 2 maritime militia ships 18 km east of Second Thomas Shoal. It's likely now that the small resupply boats (not broadcasting on Class-A AIS, so not detectable) will have passed the first line of the blockade. [🧵12/x]

13/The last 3 🇨🇳militia ships (deployed in response to the resupply from Fiery Cross Reef, 275km to the west) are arriving now at Mischief Reef. It remains to be seen whether they will continue another 50km east to bolster the blockade or remain in reserve. [🧵13/x]

14/🇵🇭BRP Cabra appears to be closely engaged with 🇨🇳militia ship Qiong Sansha Yu 00110 ~24km SE of the mouth of Second Thomas Shoal. [🧵14/x]

15/🇵🇭BRP Sindangan has pushed rapidly toward Second Thomas Shoal (red dashed line), closely shadowed by 🇨🇳#China Coast Guard 21551, leaving militia ships behind. Now approaching the close-in blockade line near the shoal itself. [🧵15/x]

16/🇵🇭BRP Cabra has also broken away from its militia escorts & has increased speed toward the shoal (red dashed line) and the 🇨🇳close-in blockade. [🧵16/x]

17/Big picture. 🇵🇭BRP Sindangan appears to be stopped in close contact with 🇨🇳CCG 21551 & 21555. 🇵🇭BRP Melchora Aquino still advancing from the NE but shadowed by 🇨🇳CCG 3303. 🇵🇭BRP Cabra still approaching from the SE. [🧵17/x]

🚨18/Happening now: 3 🇵🇭@coastguardph ships (BRP Melchora Aquino, Sindangan & Cabra) surrounded by 3 🇨🇳#China Coast Guard & 15 🇨🇳militia ships near entrance of 2nd Thomas Shoal. Small 🇵🇭 resupply vessels not visible on AIS (signal too weak), may be through the gauntlet. [🧵18/x]

19/During today's 🇵🇭resupply mission, all 3 @coastguardph approached to within 2km of 2nd Thomas (Ayungin) Shoal, much closer than in the past several missions & closest since BRP Malapascua and BRP Malabrigo came within 1km back in mid-April. [🧵19/x]

20/All 3 🇵🇭@coastguardph ships now loitering 2-4km east of 2nd Thomas Shoal, likely waiting for the resupply boats to finish their work at the 🇵🇭@Philippine_Navy outpost aboard BRP Sierra Madre. They are still surrounded by 🇨🇳Coast Guard & militia ships. [🧵20/x]

21/@tribunephl has video of harassment of 🇵🇭's supply vessel M/L Kalayaan during today's resupply mission. [🧵21/x]

https://x.com/tribunephl/status/1722783253269229800?s=20

22/👀Seems to show 🇨🇳#China Coast Guard 21551 inside 2nd Thomas Shoal. Either a misrepresentation or it entered the shoal, maybe to harass the 🇵🇭#Philippines' resupply boats. Because 21551 doesn't broadcast AIS, I have only this PRC site & can't see history/corroborate. [🧵22/x]

23/After a voyage of 330km in 17 hours from Fiery Cross Reef, the 3 final 🇨🇳 maritime militia vessels have finally arrived to take part in the blockade. [🧵23/x]

24/[Quote]
China Coast Guard Spokesperson Gan Yu made a statement on the Philippines' illegal intrusion into Ren'ai Reef
2023-11-10 10:41, Published in Beijing

China Coast Guard spokesman Gan Yu said that on November 10, two small transport ships and three coast guard ships from the Philippines entered the waters adjacent to Ren'ai Reef in China's Nansha Islands without permission from the Chinese government. The Chinese Coast Guard follows Philippine ships in accordance with the law, takes control measures, and makes temporary special arrangements for the Philippines to transport food and other necessary daily supplies. China has indisputable sovereignty over the Nansha Islands, including Second Thomas Shoal, and its adjacent waters. The Philippines' actions infringe on China's territorial sovereignty, violate the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, and violate its own commitments. We urge the Philippines to immediately stop its infringing actions. The China Coast Guard will continue to carry out rights protection and law enforcement activities in waters under China's jurisdiction in accordance with the law and resolutely safeguard national sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.


[🧵24/x]

25/🇵🇭BRP Melchora Aquino is now moving away to the NW, which may indicate that the resupply mission is wrapping up. 🇨🇳CCG 3303 and 4 militia ships are following it away from the Second Thomas Shoal area. [🧵25/x]