Philippines says US offered to escort supply ships in disputed sea

Baguio, Philippines: The United States has offered to escort Manila s resupply missions to outposts in the disputed South China Sea, the Philippine mi...

Baguio, Philippines: The United States has offered to escort Manila's resupply missions to outposts in the disputed South China Sea, the Philippine military chief said Thursday, following Beijing's intensifying efforts to block them.

General Romeo Brawner said the Philippines would not take up the offer until it reached a point when they could not deliver life-saving provisions and troops were "on the verge of dying".

"We're happy that the US has given us a range of options including that of joining or escorting us for the ROREs (rotation and resupply missions)," Brawner told a news conference after meeting with US Indo-Pacific Commander Admiral Samuel Paparo in the northern city of Baguio.

Paparo told reporters that "we stand ready", without offering further details.

There has been a series of escalating clashes between Philippine and Chinese vessels in the past year during resupply missions to Filipino troops, coast guard personnel and fishermen at Second Thomas, Sabina and Scarborough shoals.