China said on Friday the Philippines had sent supplies to a warship grounded on Second Thomas Shoal, a disputed atoll in the South China Sea. In a separate statement, the Philippine Coast Guard said it had rotated personnel staffing the Sierra Madre and sent supplies to the vessel,

The Philippines has protested China’s baselines around the disputed Scarborough Shoal, as tensions between the two nations build up anew over their competing claims in the South China Sea.

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 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,

It is the second air-to-sea joint patrol as tensions have escalated around Scarborough, Second Thomas and Sabina shoals.

China's embassy warned the Philippines to cease any "unilateral actions" after Manila brought in two new maritime laws meant to define territory, sea lanes and air routes.