THE United States condemned the actions of the China Coast Guard and the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), accusing them of employing dangerous blocking tactics.
This comes after Chinese military vessels on Sept. 24 blocked a resupply mission to the BRP Sierra Madre at Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.
In a statement on Sunday, US Ambassador to the Philippines Lee Lipton said the aggressive maneuvers intentionally threatened a collision with a Philippine vessel and successfully blocked a lawful, routine resupply mission headed toward Ayungin Shoal.
“We stand by our Philippine allies and laud their professionalism and restraint. We call on the China Coast Guard and PLAN to cease the use of escalatory tactics that threaten the freedom of navigation, and a free and open Indo-Pacific,” Lipton said.
