Philippines Rejects China's Sierra Madre Removal Claim

The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) stated that the government has never agreed with Beijing to remove the BRP Sierra Madre from Ayungin Shoal. This rejection renews a long-standing dispute over one of the most sensitive maritime flashpoints in the South China Sea. China consistently asserts that Manila previously committed to towing the ship away, a claim Philippine officials have repeatedly disputed.

This statement was in response to renewed assertions from the Chinese embassy in Manila. Villanoeva emphasized that the Philippine government categorically rejects the assertion of any such commitment.

Filipino personnel remain stationed aboard the ship, symbolizing Manila's continuous presence and position in the area. Philippine authorities refer to the vessel as permanently stationed at Ayungin Shoal, also known internationally as Second Thomas Shoal, while China designates the feature as Ren'ai Jiao.

The latest Philippine rejection follows continuous Chinese claims that Manila had repeatedly promised to remove the BRP Sierra Madre. Beijing maintains the vessel was deliberately grounded in 1999 and that Philippine officials subsequently committed on several occasions to tow it away. In July 2026, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Lin Jian, reiterated this position, asserting that Ren'ai Jiao is part of China's Nansha Qundao (Spratly Islands) and that the Philippines had promised multiple times to remove the vessel.

The Philippine government disputes China's narrative, stating there is no binding commitment, written agreement, or arrangement requiring the removal of the BRP Sierra Madre. This consistent stance has been upheld across various levels of the Philippine government for over two decades. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., for instance, publicly rejected the existence of such an agreement in 2023, clarifying that if one existed, he would honor it, but found no record.

The arbitral tribunal affirmed that the shoal lies within an area where the Philippines possesses maritime entitlements under UNCLOS. Furthermore, it concluded that no feature claimed by China in the Spratly Islands generates an exclusive economic zone that overlaps with the Philippines' entitlements in that area, thus constituting part of the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.

China has consistently rejected the 2016 South China Sea Arbitration and did not participate in the proceedings. Beijing maintained throughout the process that it did not accept the arbitration initiated by the Philippines, continuing to reject the award and asserting its own sovereignty and maritime claims in the region. Conversely, Manila considers the award final and binding, repeatedly calling on China to comply and using its conclusions as a legal basis to challenge Chinese activities around Ayungin Shoal and elsewhere in the South China Sea.

China asserts that its Coast Guard and other vessels operate in waters under Chinese jurisdiction, while Manila contends that Chinese interference with Philippine vessels within its exclusive economic zone infringes upon Philippine sovereign rights under international law. Consequently, the BRP Sierra Madre has become a critical point of friction, as Philippine forces stationed aboard it require periodic deliveries of supplies.

Resupply missions to the BRP Sierra Madre frequently bring Philippine vessels into close contact with China Coast Guard ships. In July 2024, the two governments attempted to mitigate the dangers of these encounters through a provisional understanding regarding rotation and resupply operations. However, even this arrangement is subject to sharply differing interpretations by Manila and Beijing.

The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) clarified in July 2026 that the provisional understanding consists of principles and approaches aimed at preventing misunderstandings during resupply missions. Manila emphasizes that operations in Philippine waters do not require Chinese permission and do not permit boarding or inspection of Philippine vessels. Conversely, Beijing describes the arrangement as allowing humanitarian deliveries of necessities, provided there is prior notification and what China calls 'on-site verification,' also stating it would oppose attempts to deliver non-necessities.

Tensions around Ayungin Shoal remained severe in 2026; in July, Philippine authorities reported an encounter involving China Coast Guard personnel and Philippine Navy sailors near the BRP Sierra Madre. The Philippine side accused Chinese personnel of assaulting a sailor, while Beijing disputed Manila's account and accused the Philippines of provoking the confrontation, highlighting how rapidly an encounter around the grounded vessel can escalate.

The DFA stated the Philippines remains willing to pursue peaceful dialogue in addressing disputes with China and frames its position around international law. The department also maintained that dialogue does not prevent the Philippines from carrying out lawful activities within its maritime zones.

This diplomatic approach aligns with the policy of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s administration. In September 2026, Marcos again spoke about the Philippine Coast Guard's responsibility for patrolling the country's maritime areas. For China, however, dialogue does not alter its demand for the ship's eventual removal.

Beijing continues to assert that Ren'ai Jiao belongs to China, that the grounding of the BRP Sierra Madre violated Chinese sovereignty, and that the Philippines should honor what China describes as an earlier promise to tow the vessel away. Manila's response remains consistently clear: it denies making any such promise and rejects China's authority to demand the ship's removal. This disagreement goes beyond the condition or future of one aging naval vessel.

Ayungin Shoal, largely submerged at high tide, holds substantial strategic and political significance. The continued presence of Philippine troops aboard the BRP Sierra Madre ensures that events there quickly become matters of national policy for both Manila and Beijing.

For the Philippines, withdrawing from Ayungin Shoal would mean relinquishing a significant maritime position. For China, the continued Philippine occupation of the ship directly conflicts with Beijing's sovereignty claim over Ren'ai Jiao. The immediate dispute over whether a promise to remove the vessel ever existed also remains unresolved.

As of September 16, 2026, the BRP Sierra Madre remains stationed at Ayungin Shoal, with Philippine personnel continuing to serve aboard it. Manila consistently rejects Beijing's demand for its withdrawal. Recent Philippine military monitoring reports ongoing China Coast Guard activity around Ayungin and other contested areas of the West Philippine Sea. Both governments continue to publicly discuss managing their differences through dialogue, despite their legal and political positions remaining far apart.

This vessel embodies the complex and unresolved tensions between the two nations.