The Philippines will not remove a dilapidated navy ship grounded on an atoll in the South China Sea, its defence chief said on Thursday, rejecting a demand by China after it blocked a mission to resupply the vessel's crew.

Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana dismissed China's assertion on Wednesday that the Philippines had committed to removing the BRP Sierra Madre, which was intentionally grounded at the Second Thomas shoal in 1999 to reinforce Manila's sovereignty claims in the Spratly archipelago.

The 100 metre-long tank landing ship...