Country, contesting with the PRC the state ownership of the sea area, resort to various ways to "stake out" the territory. If Beijing launched large-scale work to create a network of artificial islands and military infrastructure on it, then the same Vietnam, due to its financial capabilities, limited itself to the deployment of small military contingents on abandoned drilling platforms DK1.
The Philippine military even placed its garrison on the grounded ship BRP Sierra Madre. This landing craft was built in the US during World War II.. He actively showed himself in battles with militaristic Japan and Vietnamese troops and, finally, after the evacuation of Saigon was at the disposal of the Philippine Navy.
During the intensification of disputes over the ownership of marine areas around China, Sierra Madre was intentionally stranded in the Spratly Islands..
Filipino troops use it as an outpost to secure the second Thomas Shoal- explained in USNI News.
In November of this year, two ships of the Chinese coast guard used water cannons, preventing two civilian ships from delivering supplies for soldiers. The other day, the second visit of the suppliers went well, there was a ship of the Chinese coast guard nearby, from which a rubber boat with three fighters was launched. They examined the aground ship, I took a photo- and video.
US Department of State Reminds China of Philippines-U.S. Mutual Defense Treaty 1951 of the year, which the, According to him, also applies to ships in the South China Sea.
