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Second Thomas Shoal

Coordinates: 9°44′N 115°52′E / 9.733°N 115.867°E / 9.733; 115.867 (Second Thomas Shoal)
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Second Thomas Shoal
Disputed atoll
Second Thomas Shoal
Second Thomas Shoal is located in Spratly Islands
Second Thomas Shoal
Second Thomas Shoal
Other namesAyungin Shoal (Philippine English)
Bãi Cỏ Mây (Vietnamese)
Buhanginan ng Ayungin (Filipino)
Rén'ài Jiāo 仁爱礁/仁愛礁 (Chinese)
Geography
LocationSouth China Sea
Coordinates9°44′N 115°52′E / 9.733°N 115.867°E / 9.733; 115.867 (Second Thomas Shoal)
ArchipelagoSpratly Islands
Administration
RegionSouthwestern Tagalog Region
ProvincePalawan
MunicipalityKalayaan
Claimed by
 China
 Philippines
 Taiwan
 Vietnam

Second Thomas Shoal, also known as Ayungin Shoal (Template:Lang-fil), Bãi Cỏ Mây (Vietnamese) and Rén'ài Jiāo (Chinese: 仁爱礁/仁愛礁),[1] is a submerged reef in the Spratly Islands of the South China Sea, 105 nautical miles (194 km; 121 mi) west of Palawan, Philippines.[2] It is a disputed territory and claimed by several nations.[3] The reef is occupied by Philippine Navy personnel aboard a ship, the BRP Sierra Madre (LT-57), that was intentionally grounded on the reef in 1999 and has been periodically replenished since then.

History

The atoll is one of three named after Thomas Gilbert, captain of the Charlotte:

Geographical location

Located south-east of Mischief Reef (09°55′N 115°32′E / 9.917°N 115.533°E / 9.917; 115.533), Second Thomas Shoal is near the centre of Dangerous Ground in the north-eastern part of the Spratly Islands; there are no settlements north or east of it.[4][5] It is a tear-drop shaped atoll, 11 nautical miles (20 km; 13 mi) long north–south[6] and fringed with coral reefs.[7] The coral rim surrounds a lagoon which has depths of up to 27 metres (89 ft) and is accessible to small boats from the east. Drying reef patches are found east and west of the reef rim.

Geographical features

On 12 July 2016, the UNCLOS tribunal at the Permanent Court of Arbitration concluded that Second Thomas Shoal is, or in its natural condition was, exposed at low tide and submerged at high tide and, accordingly, has low-tide elevations that do not generate an entitlement to a territorial sea, exclusive economic zone or continental shelf.[8]

Territorial claims

See also: Spratly Islands dispute and Philippines v. China

Second Thomas Shoal is claimed by China, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.[9]

The Philippine Navy maintains a presence of less than a dozen Marine personnel on the 100 m (330 ft) long Second World War US-built Philippine Navy landing craft Sierra Madre, which was deliberately run aground at the atoll in 1999 in response to the Chinese reclamation of Mischief Reef, [10][11] The Philippines claims that the atoll is part of its continental shelf,[12] while parts of the Spratly group of islands, where Second Thomas Shoal lies, are claimed by China, Brunei, the Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam.

Philippine supply ships subsequently avoided Chinese blockades in order to deliver food, water and other supplies to the garrison.[13] PRC coast guard vessels blocked two attempts by Philippine ships to resupply the garrison on March 9, 2014. Supplies were airdropped to the garrison three days later. A supply ship with replacement troops successfully reached the atoll on March 29, 2014 by sailing through shallow waters where the PRC vessels, having deeper drafts, were unable to follow.[14] Since then, the Philippine military has been sending relief and provisions by supply boats.[15]

In 1999, president Joseph Estrada promised that the vessel would be towed away.[16] In 2014, the Chinese government asked the Philippines to remove the grounded ship.[17][18] The Philippine president Bongbong Marcos said in 2023, “I am not aware of such agreement. If there was, I rescind it as of this moment.”[19][20]

In 2017, China and the Philippines established a gentlemen's agreement that the status quo be maintained for the South China Sea, as both sides tried to strengthen their relations.[21][22] Under the status quo agreement, no construction materials are allowed to fortify the Sierra Madre.[23]

In November 2021, China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels used water cannons and blocked two Philippine supply boats, preventing the boats from delivering essential supplies to the Philippine marines stationed on the BRP Sierra Madre.[24] On 6 August 2023, Chinese Coast Guard ships again fired water cannons at a Philippine Coast Guard ship resupplying the Sierra Madre.[25] The Navy-operated boat carried food, water and repair material for Sierra Madre.[26] On 22 October 2023, Philippine officials disclosed that Chinese vessels had rammed a Philippine Coast Guard ship and military-run supply boat on 17 October during a replenishment mission to the Sierra Madre.[27]

In April 2024, Philippines’ Marcos said he was ‘horrified’ by revelations of Xi Jinping and Duterte's secret ‘gentlemen’s agreement’ for preserving the status quo in disputed waters.[28][29]

Later that April, China claimed to have reached an agreement with the Philippines in adopting a "new model" over the disputed atoll. The claim was subsequently refuted by the Philippines, with defense secretary Gilberto Teodoro stating that the Philippines would not enter into any agreements compromising its territorial claims.[30]

Alternate names

The Singapore National University Gazetteer (Number 75967),[31] and the US NGA Gazetteer[32] list the following as other names for the Second Thomas Shoal:

  • Filipino – Ayungin
  • French – Banc Thomas Deuxième
  • Mandarin Chinese – Ren'ai Jiao
  • Other Chinese names – Jen-ai An-sha, Jen-ai Chiao, Jên-ai Chiao, Ren'ai Ansha, 仁愛暗沙, 仁爱礁, 断节
  • Other English names – Thomas Shoal Second
  • Other names – Duanjie
  • Vietnamese – Bãi Cỏ Mây

References

  1. ^ Sailing Directions – South China Sea. Taunton: UK Hydrographic Office.
  2. ^ Sailing Directions Enroute : Publication 158 – Philippine Islands. Springfield, Virginia: US National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA). 2013.
  3. ^ "TOPIC: Sierra Madre, Second Thomas Shoal, and the U.S. Commitment to Defense of the Philippines" (PDF). pacom.mil. February 23, 2023.
  4. ^ a b c NGA Chart 93046 – SE Dangerous Ground
  5. ^ a b NGA Chart 93045 – NE Dangerous Ground
  6. ^ Sailing Directions (Enroute), Pub. 161: South China Sea and the Gulf of Thailand (PDF). Sailing Directions. United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. 2017. p. 15.
  7. ^ "Imagery – Landsat 7 Path 118 Row 53". NASA. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
  8. ^ "Award" (PDF). Permanent Court of Arbitration. July 12, 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 29, 2019. Retrieved July 17, 2016. p.174
  9. ^ Robert C. Beckman; Ian Townsend-Gault; Clive Schofield; Tara Davenport; Leonardo Bernard (January 2013). Beyond Territorial Disputes in the South China Sea: Legal Frameworks. Edward Elgar Publishing. p. 19. ISBN 978-1-78195-594-9.
  10. ^ "A game of shark and minnow". The New York Times. October 27, 2013. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
  11. ^ Cohen, Michael. "Manila monitoring Chinese shoal moves". IHS Jane's Defence Weekly. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
  12. ^ "DFA statement on China's allegation that the PH agreed to pull out of Ayungin Shoal". Department of Foreign Affairs (Philippines). Official Gazette (Philippines). March 14, 2014. Retrieved April 9, 2014.
  13. ^ de Castro, Erik; Ng, Roli (March 31, 2014). "Philippine ship dodges China blockade to reach South China Sea outpost". www.reuters.com. Thomson Reuters. Retrieved April 1, 2014.
  14. ^ Gomez, Jim, Associated Press, "Philippine supply ship evades Chinese blockade", 29 March 2014
  15. ^ Campbell, Eric (May 20, 2014). "Reef Madness". ABC News. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
  16. ^ "Letter | Philippine-China 'gentleman's agreement' on South China Sea is best adhered to". South China Morning Post. April 26, 2024. Retrieved May 4, 2024.
  17. ^ "China 'posturing' to seize Ayungin – Golez". Rappler. March 19, 2014. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
  18. ^ Esmaquel, Paterno (March 18, 2014). "China digs up details vs PH on Ayungin". Rappler. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
  19. ^ Corrales, Nestor (August 10, 2023). "Pact on Ayungin rescinded, if there's any – Marcos". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved May 10, 2024.
  20. ^ https://pco.gov.ph/news_releases/no-existing-agreement-to-remove-brp-sierra-madre-from-ayungin-shoal-pbbm/ “And let me go further, if there does exist such an agreement, I rescind that agreement now,” President Marcos said. PND
  21. ^ "Letter | Philippine-China 'gentleman's agreement' on South China Sea is best adhered to". South China Morning Post. April 26, 2024. Retrieved May 10, 2024.
  22. ^ https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN1AV0VS/ China has assured the Philippines it will not occupy new features or territory in the South China Sea, under a new "status quo" brokered by Manila as both sides try to strengthen their relations, the Philippine defence minister said.
  23. ^ Bautista, Jane. "Duterte's China 'agreement' on Ayungin prevented supply of construction material, says his spokesman". Retrieved May 10, 2024.
  24. ^ "Chinese vessels use water cannon to block Philippines vessels from disputed shoal". TheGuardian.com. November 18, 2021.
  25. ^ "Philippines tells China it will not abandon post in disputed reef". CNA. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  26. ^ Cabal, Kaye (September 4, 2023). "Chinese harassment in Ayungin will happen again". RAPPLER. Retrieved May 10, 2024.
  27. ^ "Philippines says a coast guard ship and supply boat were rammed by Chinese vessels at disputed shoal". AP News. October 22, 2023.
  28. ^ "Marcos 'horrified' by Xi-Duterte 'gentleman's agreement' on South China Sea". South China Morning Post. April 10, 2024. Retrieved May 10, 2024.
  29. ^ Leon, Dwight de (April 10, 2024). "Marcos 'horrified' by Duterte's alleged gentleman's agreement with China on West PH Sea". RAPPLER. Retrieved May 10, 2024.
  30. ^ "Philippines denies deal with China over disputed South China Sea shoal". April 26, 2024.
  31. ^ "Spratly Islands – Names" (PDF). Gazetteer 75967. National University, Singapore. Retrieved December 5, 2016.
  32. ^ "Spratly Islands Gazetteer". US NGA.
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