BEIJING – China warned the Philippines on Monday to abandon a disputed shoal in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) after Manila said it planned to challenge a Chinese naval blockade of the area by sending supplies to its troops stationed there.

Last week, a senior Philippines military official said his country would send civilian supply ships to its soldiers deployed on a vessel that ran aground on the disputed Second Thomas Shoal in 1999.

The shoal is known in China as the Ren’ai reef and in the Philippines as Ayungin.

“The Chinese government’s attitude on maintaining the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity is unwavering. We will never tolerate the Philippines illegal occupation of Ren’ai reef,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei told a daily news briefing.

“China is on high alert for the Philippines possibly taking more provocative acts in the South China Sea. The Philippines must accept responsibility for the consequences of what will happen,” he added.

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