The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Saturday reported China Coast Guard vessel 5901, often referred to as Beijing’s “monster ship,” continues to operate unlawfully near Philippine territory.
“Today, this vessel has been reported to be operating unlawfully at a distance of 60 to 70 nautical miles from Philippine territory,” PCG spokesperson for West Philippine Sea (WPS) Commodore Jay Tarriela said.
According to him, this is despite multiple radio communications from the PCG’s BRP Gabriela Silang (OPV-8301) challenging the Chinese vessel over its lack of legal authority to conduct patrols in the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
“The PCG emphasizes that the Philippines’ authority in these waters is in accordance with the Philippine Maritime Zones Act, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and the 2016 Arbitral Award,” Tarriela said.
The development comes as the Philippine Navy conducted its unilateral exercises in the WPS. The “routine” exercise aimed to sustain and improve the operational proficiency of both assets and personnel, particularly in the vicinity of Bajo de Masinloc.
Tarriela previously noted this marks China’s closest deployment to the Philippine EEZ.
In addition to vessel 5901, smaller Chinese ships have also been observed near Capones Island, Zambales, in recent days.