A Philippine rigid inflatable boat from BRP Sierra Madre transfers an injured personnel to another rigid inflatable boat under China Coast Guard vessels’ supervision on October 8, 2026.

Exclusive footage obtained by the Global Times shows that a Philippine medical evacuation near China’s Ren’ai Jiao on Thursday was carried out with China’s permission and remained under China Coast Guard (CCG) supervision throughout the operation.

The footage shows CCG vessel 5306 promptly warned the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessel 4409 to leave after the Philippine vessel entered waters near Ren’ai Jiao without China’s permission.

On humanitarian grounds, a rigid inflatable boat launched from PCG vessel 4409 was subsequently allowed to proceed to an area designated by the Chinese side, guided and monitored by a Chinese rigid inflatable boat.

At the designated area, the Philippine rigid inflatable boat transferred an injured person from the BRP Sierra Madre, the Philippine ship illegally grounded at Ren’ai Jiao, with Chinese rigid inflatable boats and coast guard vessel supervising the operation, the footage shows.

A PCG spokesperson claimed that CCG vessels had “obstructed” the evacuation mission, made dangerous maneuvers near a PCG vessel and used water cannons.

China allows humanitarian medical evacuations, personnel rotations and resupply missions involving the Philippine ship illegally grounded at Ren’ai Jiao in China’s Nansha Qundao, Chen Xiangmiao, a researcher at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, told the Global Times.

However, the Philippines has repeatedly used resupply missions to deliver construction materials to reinforce the ship’s hull, seeking to use the vessel to illegally occupy the reef, Chen said. China therefore imposes controls on deliveries, and such resupply activities require its permission, he said.

These resupply and personnel transfer operations have long been conducted under Chinese supervision and control, Chen said. Yet the Philippines sent a coast guard vessel for the medical evacuation without prior communication with China on Thursday, then portrayed itself as the victim to seek sympathy and challenge China’s territorial integrity, he said.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning on Friday rejected Philippine claims that China had disrupted the medical evacuation, stressing that China would not waver in responding to any provocation and safeguarding territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.

At a regular press briefing, Mao said that a PCG vessel had intruded into waters adjacent to Ren’ai Jiao in Nansha Qundao of China without China’s permission on Thursday morning.

Mao said that following communication between the two sides, on humanitarian grounds, China gave timely permission to the Philippine side to evacuate the injured person by small boat and provided necessary assistance.

Instead of acknowledging China’s facilitation, individual Philippine officials have distorted facts and wrongfully accused China without showing the whole picture to the public, Mao said. This once again reveals their intention of provoking China and staging publicity stunts, which is rather despicable, she said. 

Mao’s remarks followed a statement issued by the CCG on Thursday evening. CCG spokesperson Jiang Lue said that PCG vessel 4409 had traveled to waters near Ren’ai Jiao that day to evacuate an injured person from the Philippine warship illegally grounded there.

Jiang added that, on humanitarian grounds, China had immediately allowed the injured person to be transferred by small boat. The CCG handled the matter in accordance with laws and regulations and provided necessary assistance, he said.

Jiang said the Philippine side’s remarks disregarded the facts, distorted the truth and sought to mislead the public. China has indisputable sovereignty over Nansha Qundao, including Ren’ai Jiao, and their adjacent waters, he said, warning the Philippine side to immediately stop its infringements, provocations and dissemination of false claims.