As a United States Navy plane circled overhead, two Philippine boats breached a Chinese coast guard blockade in a dangerous confrontation Tuesday in the disputed South China Sea to deliver food and other supplies to Filipino forces guarding a contested shoal.
Two Philippine coast guard vessels escorting the supply boats, however, were blocked by at least four Chinese coast guard ships for about five hours in the tense standoff near Second Thomas Shoal.
The voyages are not just symbolic, they’re a really important fundamental of international law.
Basically, if there’s no recognised authority to hand out titles for land (or ocean) then whoever uses the area or passage has a claim.
If China’s bullying goes uncontested and everyone just let’s them blockade parts of the yellow sea, then sooner or later it will be “Chinese waters”.