The removal of the Philippine Navy’s flagship from the Half Moon Shoal by two commercial tugboats is praised as ‘a good ending for all parties’
China is “relieved” to see a grounded Philippine Navy warship finally retrieved from a shoal in contested waters in the South China Sea, analysts said.
Two commercial tugboats were used late on Monday night to pull the BRP Gregorio del Pilar, the flagship of the Philippine Navy, from the shallow fringes of the Half Moon Shoal on the eastern edge of the disputed Spratly Islands, five days after it ran aground, the Philippine military said on Tuesday.
“Maintaining status quo in the South China Sea is China’s key interest at the moment while the relationship with the US is strained,” said Ni Lexiong, a Shanghai-based military commentator. “This was a good ending for all parties.”
Beijing had sent coastguard vessels and a rescue boat to the site from nearby man-made island bases soon after the Philippine vessel ran aground during a routine patrol last Wednesday night, damaging its propellers.
China was wary about a recurrence of the 1999 grounding of a Philippine navy transport ship that effectively allowed the Filipinos to “occupy” the Second Thomas Shoal, turning it into a Philippine military outpost, according to analysts.
China has repeatedly demanded the removal of the now rusty BRP Sierra Madre from Second Thomas Shoal, which is claimed by the Philippines and China and lies about 110km north of the Half Moon Shoal.
The Half Moon Shoal is yet to be controlled by any of the claimants.
