Chinese coast guard vessels intercepted Philippine ships attempting to resupply a small contingent of marines stationed aboard the grounded BRP Sierra Madre at the Second Thomas Shoal, while also deploying a heavy tugboat likely intended to signal an ability to remove the vessel, the South China Morning Post reported on Aug. 28. Meanwhile, Taiwan's foreign minister Lin Chia-lung made a rare unofficial visit to Manila alongside a U.S. and Taiwanese business delegation, highlighting deepening engagement, Bloomberg reported separately on Aug. 28.