China's Coast Guard said the supply run had proceeded "with permission" to what it considers an "illegally" beached ship. The Philippine Coast Guard had no immediate response to China's claim, which it has previously made, that it had allowed the mission to proceed.

China has held sea and air combat drills at disputed Scarborough Shoal, an uninhabited area of reefs and rocks it had seized from the Philippines in the South China Sea.

China claims much of the South China Sea despite overlapping claims by other countries. Read more at straitstimes.com.

China gave permission for a civilian ship sent by the Philippines to take supplies to its "illegally" beached warship at the Second Thomas Shoal, the Asian giant's coast guard said on Friday. "It is hoped the Philippines will honour its commitments,

China declared its maritime baselines around Scarborough Shoal after the Philippines passed laws defining its maritime zones and sea lanes last week.

China is likely to continue its aggressive naval approach toward the Philippines amid their disputes in the South China Sea, experts say. Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has signed two new maritime laws to protect Manila’s disputed territory: the Philippine Maritime Zones Act and Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act.