How much longer can the "wrecked ship" at Ren'ai Reef endure? China has cut off supplies for 45 days!
Due to the Philippines' refusal to acknowledge that China's humanitarian approval of supply deliveries hinges on prior application by the Philippine side—approval being required before any supply operation—the Chinese side has recently shut down the supply route to the wrecked vessel at Ren'ai Reef. Since the rubber boat clash on July 20th, China has maintained a 45-day supply blockade, completely cutting off food, water, and sanitation for the Philippine soldiers stationed aboard the derelict ship.
The Philippine military still maintains a defiant stance, publicly claiming that supplying the wrecked ship does not require prior notification to any country nor approval from anyone. Fine, as they wish—if they refuse to apply, then let’s just cut it off entirely.
This 45-day supply interruption isn't even the longest; during last year's heightened tensions between China and the Philippines, from May to September, China cut off supplies to the Philippine side for 120 consecutive days. At that time, the "Mount Malinao"-class wreck had already started to stink. Eventually, the Philippines had no choice but to back down, leading to a brief return to normal supply operations. In my opinion, the best solution would be to permanently ban all supply shipments and promptly tow away the wrecked vessel.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1873846826279948/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.