MANILA – The Philippines and China’s “provisional agreement” on resupply missions for troops on a South China Sea shoal, the site of numerous clashes between the two, may be subject to future review, a Foreign Ministry official said on Aug 13.

       The comment comes as tensions have risen in the past week between the two countries in the disputed Scarborough Shoal, where in the latest incident, Manila said a Chinese aircraft dropped flares in the path of its military aircraft.

       The two countries came to an arrangement in July after multiple stand-offs at the Second Thomas Shoal, where the Philippines in 1999 intentionally grounded a navy vessel and maintains a small contingent of troops to prop up its claim to sovereignty.

       The arrangement covers only resupply missions at the Second Thomas Shoal and not the other disputed features in the South China Sea.

       Philippine Foreign Undersecretary Maria Theresa Lazaro said the understanding with China did not compromise the country’s South China Sea position, and the arrangement may be re-evaluated if needed.

       “The review will be there. When that will be is subject to further discussion,” Ms Lazaro told Reuters on the sidelines of a congressional hearing.

       Philippine Foreign Minister Enrique Manalo told lawmakers the Philippines will honour the provisional understanding and expects China to do the same.

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       The Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Aug 13 that its military “took necessary measures”, and accused the Philippines of “infringing on China’s sovereignty”.

       The Philippines completed its resupply mission unimpeded on July 27 following the deal with China.

       However, the situation around the South China Sea’s Scarborough Shoal, one of Asia’s most contested sites, remains fraught.

       The Scarborough Shoal, a prime fishing patch with a lagoon that provides shelter for vessels during storms, is located inside the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone but occupied by China for more than a decade.

       The Philippine Navy said on Aug 13 that last week’s actions by the Chinese air force over the disputed shoal were “coercive, aggressive and deceptive”.

       The Philippines has been incensed by what it saw as a dangerous manoeuvre by two Chinese aircraft, which it said dropped flares in the path of its military aircraft while it was conducting a routine patrol over the contested shoal on Aug 8.

       The actions had no place in the international arena, which is governed by international law, Rear-Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad told a briefing, adding that China’s conduct raised the risk of untoward incidents.

       China, which also claims sovereignty over the shoal, has disputed that, saying it acted in a professional and legal manner. REUTERS