The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported on Saturday that three Chinese research vessels had been observed off the coasts of Luzon and Mindanao provinces.
The vessels twice entered the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), including waters near Siargao, a renowned world-class surfing destination.
At a news forum in Quezon City, PCG spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela said the Coast Guard first monitored the three vessels at a distance of 257 nautical miles northeast of Santa Ana, Cagayan on November 17, 2024.
Tarriela said the vessels were observed twice within the country’s 200 nautical mile EEZ—first near Davao Oriental on November 14, and again off Siargao Island on November 20.
“Basically dumaan lang siya talaga. It never loitered. Pumasok siya lumiko ulit (Basically they just passed. It never loitered. They entered and made a turn),” Tarriela said.
As of 7:40 a.m. on November 30, Tarriela said the ships were seen “with the distance of 210 nautical miles east of Siargao Island in Surigao del Norte.”
The three Chinese research vessels are Xiang Yang Hong 3, Jia Geng, and Xiang Yang Hong 10.
However, the PCG official said that since the vessels entered the Philippine EEZ, they should have sought clearance from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).
“Since wala this can be… we’re going to communicate this to the National Task force WPS and it’s up to the DFA to take action,” he said.
In the same forum, Tarriela said the Philippines remains concerned over the presence of Chinese maritime militias near the Pag-asa Island in the western part of the country following reports of swarming earlier this week.
More than 80 Chinese vessels were monitored in Pag-asa Island’s territorial sea on Nov. 27 but Tarriela said it might have been due to bad weather.
“This has always been a concern for the Philippine government. We are explaining the phenomenon, bakit tumaas at bakit bumaba (why it increased and why the number went down),” he said.
“But every time na pumapasok din naman sila sa territorial sea natin sa (But every time they enter our territorial sea in) Pag-asa, we are constantly radio-challenging these Chinese maritime militia,” he assured.
Based on the PCG’s latest monitoring, the number of Chinese vessels in the Philippine feature has gone down to 30.
