Six Chinese vessels were shadowed by the Philippine Coast Guard due to their intrusion into the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) stated that it would continue to monitor the foreign ships but added that it has not observed any unusual movements.
PCG’s BRP Malabrigo is closely following China’s Qiong Sansha Yu maritime militia ships, which recently passed Subi Reef and entered the Philippines’ EEZ en route to Mischief Reef.
Ray Powell, director of South China Sea monitor SeaLight, reported that Haiyang Dizhi Liu Hao, a Chinese research vessel, has been surveying within the Philippine EEZ, approximately 65 nautical miles off Luzon since October 7.
“China’s research vessel Haiyang Dizhi Liu Hao has been surveying within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone—coming as close as 65 nautical miles of Luzon—since October 7,” Powell stated on X.
The research vessel was traveling at a speed of 4.8 knots and measured 106 meters long and 17 meters wide.
From September 30 to October 6, at least 190 Chinese vessels were observed in the West Philippine Sea, including 28 vessels from the China Coast Guard and the People’s Liberation Army, according to the Navy.
“Wala naman report sa atin (We haven’t received any report) that there is something that we need to really… immediately address in the area. Continuous po ‘yung monitoring natin dito,” said AFP spokesperson Colonel Margareth Padilla.
Meanwhile, Powell noted that the country should also be cautious about research ships.
“There may be research value in what they’re doing—perhaps looking at the sea environment for submarine operations. There may also just be symbolic value, [such as] making a statement that this is what we’re going to do, and you can’t stop us,” Powell explained.
