In the early hours of September 8, two Philippine boats and their two coastguard escorts sailed towards the contested Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea. It was their third mission in five weeks to deliver food, water and fuel to troops on the submerged reef in the Spratly archipelago. To Beijing, those troops - who use a grounded World War II warship as a base - are illegally occupying the Chinese territory of Renai Jiao. The reef is controlled by Manila but also claimed by Beijing, Tai
Fishing boats joined a coastguard vessel in a recent confrontation with the Philippines near Second Thomas Shoal, the latest example of grey zone tactics.
PANO – A delegation of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army, led by Major General Pham Quang Ngan, Head of the Militia and Self-Defense Force, inspected the Thanh Hoa provincial Military Command on October 4.