On the question of who is lying, the Philippines has no denying it.
This week, the mainland released a transcript of a phone call with Lt. Gen. Alberto Carlos, commander of the Western Command of the Philippines. Note that it is the incumbent, not the ex.
This transcript of the call proves that China and the Philippines have indeed reached an agreement to send supplies to the "beached" warship at Ren'ai Jiao, not to reinforce the "beached" warship (Note 1), not to send additional personnel, and to notify the Chinese side in advance before transporting supplies, and on this basis, the Chinese side also agreed to allow the Philippines to deliver food, water and other necessary daily necessities to the personnel on the "beached" warship based on humanitarian principles.
The beached Philippine warship "Sierra Madre".
Call: January 3, 2024
Both sides of the call: Lieutenant General Alberto Carlos, an official of the Chinese Embassy in Manila and commander of the Western Command of the Philippines.
The key contents are as follows-
Chinese diplomat: We've had several discussions over the past few days. In the light of the discussions, I was instructed by the Ambassador, and on behalf of the Embassy, to go through these points before we report back to Beijing. I understand that the Philippine side is now proposing that each side deploy a warship and a civilian vessel for resupply missions, which could be the USS Unaizah May I or the USS Calayan.
PLACE: yes, that's right. First, we all agreed to take action to reduce tensions at Second Thomas Shoal. I would like to confirm the agreement of the Philippine side with the proposal. I got the agreement from my superiors, the proposal, and confirmed it.
Chinese diplomat: I understand that this is the result of their discussions. Of course, you will only transport food and water or humanitarian survival supplies.
Head of Western Philippine Command: Correct.
Chinese diplomat: The Philippine side will notify us two days in advance.
CHIEF, Western Philippine Command: I confirm that. I can do it.
Chinese diplomat: Finally, of course, this proposal has already been approved by General Brawner, Minister Gibo and Minister Ano.
PLACE: That's right. I confirm that as well.
The original English version of the call log
The call was made public on April 27, when Philippine Defense Secretary Teodoro issued a statement claiming that his department "does not know, and is not a party to, any internal agreement with China" since Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos took office in 2022.
Teodoro claimed that Philippine Defense Ministry officials had not spoken to any Chinese officials since last year. Teodoro's tone was the same as Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s tone on April 10.
Please note that for a long time in the past, we have communicated with the Philippines repeatedly, but we have not come up with call records, which is to give both sides a step down.
But what is the Philippine side doing? He lied in public, repeatedly provoked, and continued to use a dilapidated warship that had been "beached" for more than 20 years to create incidents.
You must know that when the Philippines took office as President Duterte, Duterte himself had already admitted that the warship at Ren'ai Jiao was about to sink, so it was placed over there, and Duterte did not listen to anything from the United States.
Duterte once said, "It's sad! The United States has made it (the South China Sea) full of controversy! American foreign policy, if in the long run, it is really fraught with hostility. ”
As a result, after the current President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., came to power, he immediately changed his face, and even the recent agreement reached between the two sides could turn his face and deny it, and hug the thigh of the United States vigorously. In the end, it is only the Philippines itself that will suffer.
Sierra Madre
Note 1: The "beached" warship generally refers to the Philippine warship "Sierra Madre", which is a tank landing ship. Chinese translated as Project 57 tank landing ship. In May 1999, a Philippine warship rushed to Ren'ai Jiao of the People's Republic of China and began to "sit on the beach" in the name of "running aground" and "the hull of the ship was damaged and needed to be repaired". At that time, the Philippine government promised to tow the warship away, but it was never implemented.