MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Thursday deployed a ship, a small boat and an aircraft to disrupt the activities of a Chinese research vessel off Batanes and drive it out of the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), as a China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel moved into the area.
The PCG said BRP Teresa Magbanua approached the Chinese research vessel Jia Hai Ke 7 to within about 91 meters at 7:55 a.m. It then deployed a rigid-hull inflatable boat that circled the vessel several times.
The operation took place about 69 kilometers northwest of Itbayat, Batanes, where the PCG said Jia Hai Ke 7 had remained since its presence was confirmed on Sept. 28.
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According to the PCG, the Chinese vessel repeatedly maneuvered to evade its units while Teresa Magbanua issued radio challenges.
CCG vessel with hull number 2503 later arrived in the area, moved toward Teresa Magbanua and issued repeated radio challenges, the PCG said.
Teresa Magbanua then shadowed the Chinese coast guard vessel from about 914 meters while remaining near Jia Hai Ke 7.
The PCG said it believed Jia Hai Ke 7 was conducting unauthorized marine scientific research, citing its prolonged presence and movements in the area.
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“A vessel exercising innocent passage or freedom of navigation would proceed on its course. Jia Hai Ke 7 has instead held its position in the same waters for four days, which is a clear indication that it is conducting MSR,” the PCG said in a statement.
The Coast Guard also questioned the involvement of CCG-2503, noting that Jia Hai Ke 7 was privately owned.
It said the presence of a Chinese government law enforcement vessel alongside the privately owned research ship raised questions about who Jia Hai Ke 7 was working for.
The PCG also raised concerns about what data the research vessel may have collected near undersea cable corridors in the Luzon Strait during its four-day presence in the area. It did not provide evidence showing what data, if any, had been collected.
Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Ronnie Gil Gavan also deployed a PCG Islander aircraft from Basco Airport to conduct a maritime domain awareness flight over the area.
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The aircraft circled the vicinity several times at low altitude in support of Teresa Magbanua, according to the PCG.
As of 11 a.m. Thursday, Jia Hai Ke 7 remained in the area about 69 kilometers northwest of Itbayat, with Teresa Magbanua continuing to circle the Chinese vessel from about 457 meters away, the PCG said.
“The PCG will continue to challenge, disrupt, and drive away the vessel until it leaves Philippine waters,” the agency said.
Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, coastal states have jurisdiction over marine scientific research in their EEZs, while research conducted there by other states or international organizations requires the coastal state’s consent.
The PCG said the Department of Foreign Affairs had confirmed that the Philippine government had not given Jia Hai Ke 7 permission to conduct marine scientific research in the area. /dl
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