THE Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Tuesday challenged the presence of a Chinese research vessel operating near the northern coast of Luzon, even as maritime monitoring groups said Beijing has been conducting intrusive patrols in the country’s resource-rich Reed Bank, which is within the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
Using Canada’s Dark Vessel Detection program, the PCG detected the Chinese Research Vessel (CRV) Tan Suo Er Hao on Tuesday, Dec. 30, moving within about 19 nautical miles off Cagayan province.
In response, PCG commandant Adm. Ronnie Gil Gavan immediately deployed a PCG Islander aircraft to conduct a maritime domain awareness (MDA) flight to verify the vessel’s activities and assert the country’s sovereign rights.
“The mission sought to determine whether the vessel was conducting marine scientific research without prior clearance from the Philippine government,” said PCG spokesman for the West Philippine Sea Commo. Jay Tarriela. “Such activity would violate the Philippine Maritime Zones Act and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos).” During the patrol, the aircraft spotted the Tan Suo Er Hao heading eastward at coordinates 18°34.021’ north latitude and 123°17.042’ east longitude, about 55.78 nautical miles east of Santa Ana, Cagayan. PCG pilots issued multiple radio challenges, inquiring about the vessel’s intentions and reminding its crew of the requirement for prior consent for marine scientific research in Philippine waters. The Chinese vessel did not respond.
The Tan Suo Er Hao, an 87.25-meter-deep-sea research vessel operated by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, supports manned and unmanned submersible operations for advanced deep-sea exploration. Monitoring data indicate the vessel departed Sanya, Hainan province, earlier this month, transiting through the western portion of the Philippine EEZ before approaching Northern Luzon.
The PCG noted that more than two dozen Chinese research vessels have been monitored entering the Philippine EEZ this year, including the CRVs Song Hang and Dian Ke 1 Hao off Palawan and Cagayan in April; Tan Suo 3, Xiang Yang Hong 302 and Tan Suo Er Hao off Ilocos Norte and Palawan in May; Xiang Yang Hong 05 off Cagayan in June; and Bei Diao 996, Xiang Yang Hong 10 and Zhuhai Yun off Western Luzon in July.
“The Philippine Coast Guard remains vigilant in protecting the country’s maritime domain and will continue to monitor and challenge unauthorized activities within the Philippine EEZ in accordance with the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to uphold national sovereignty and maritime laws,” Tarriela said.
Meanwhile, tracking data from maritime monitoring groups, including StarboardIntel and SeaLight, confirmed that China Coast Guard Ship 2305 has been conducting an intrusive patrol at Reed Bank in the Philippine EEZ since Dec. 28. Experts describe such patrols as part of China’s broader strategy to assert jurisdictional claims in areas legally recognized under international law as belonging to neighboring states.
“China Coast Guard ships conduct intrusive patrols within the EEZs of neighboring countries to normalize excessive jurisdiction claims over areas granted to its neighbors under international law,” SeaLight said in a report.
Reed Bank, one of the Philippines’ most resource-rich areas, is a key site for oil and gas exploration, making the Chinese presence not only a challenge to Manila’s sovereign rights but also a potential deterrent to the country’s resource development efforts.
The Philippine government has yet to issue an official response regarding the Reed Bank patrol, though past incidents in the South China Sea have prompted diplomatic protests and calls for adherence to Unclos.
