Philippines rejects China's demand to remove grounded navy ship

The BRP Sierra Madre was intentionally grounded at Second Thomas shoal in 1999 to reinforce Manila's sovereignty claims. - Reuters

MANILA (Reuters): The Philippines will not remove a dilapidated navy ship grounded on an atoll in the South China Sea, its defence chief said on Thursday (Nov 25), rejecting a demand by China after it blocked a mission to resupply the vessel's crew.

Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana dismissed China's assertion on Wednesday that the Philippines had committed to remove the BRP Sierra Madre, which was intentionally grounded at the Second Thomas shoal in 1999 to reinforce Manila's sovereignty claims in the Spratly archipelago.