"Philippine Mission to Ayungin Challenges China's South China Sea Claims"
The Philippines successfully completed a rotation and resupply mission to its military outpost, the BRP Sierra Madre, in Ayungin Shoal, despite China's claim of sovereignty over the area. This resupply mission, the first of 2024, encountered virtually no resistance from China, marking a significant development in the ongoing tensions in the South China Sea. The Philippines conducts these missions monthly to rotate troops and deliver supplies, with previous missions being tense due to harassment from the China Coast Guard.