Chinese, Philippine forces again avoid clash in fiercely disputed shoal under rare deal

The Philippine navy successfully transported supplies to a territorial ship outpost in the South China Sea without any confrontation with Chinese forces, marking the third incident since signing a deal in July to prevent violent clashes. The delivery to Second Thomas Shoal, a disputed area also claimed by China, was carried out without incident, according to military spokesperson Col Xerxes Trinidad. The shoal, known as Ayungin by the Philippines and Ren’ai Jiao by China, has been a longstanding flashpoint in the region, with the Philippines maintaining a presence since 1999 despite Chinese opposition.

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