More than 100 Chinese maritime militia vessels, warship still in West Philippine Sea — PCG

Some of the about 220 Chinese vessels reported by the Philippine Coast Guard, and believed to be manned by Chinese maritime militia personnel, are pictured at Whitsun Reef, South China Sea, March 7, 2021. Picture taken March 7, 2021. (Philippine Coast Guard/National Task Force-West Philippine Sea/Handout via REUTERS.)

MANILA, Philippines — More than 100 suspected Chinese maritime militia (CMM) vessels and a People’s Liberation Army warship have been spotted in a week-long maritime patrol in the West Philippine Sea, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)  said on Friday.

PCG spokesperson for West Philippine Sea affairs Commodore Jay Tarriela said this was the observation of the two Coast Guard vessels during their maritime patrols from April 18 to April 24. 

BRP Malapascua and BRP Malabrigo patrolled the vicinity of Sabina Shoal, Iroquois Reef, Lawak, Patag, Likas, Parola, Pag-asa, Tizzard Bank, Julian Felipe Reef, and Ayungin Shoal in Kalayaan Group of Islands. 

“Throughout the mission, the PCG vessels identified over 100 alleged CMM vessels, a People’s Liberation Army Navy Corvette class ship and two China Coast Guard vessels,” Tarriela said in a statement. 

Tarriela said the two PCG vessels deployed their rigid hull inflatable boats to disperse the CMMs,  to no avail.

“However, no CMM vessels reacted or made any attempts to vacate the area,” he said.

Chinese warship remains

On April 21, Tarriela said a Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy vessel with bow number 549 crossed paths with the BRP Malapascua and BRP Malabrigo at a distance of seven nautical miles from Pag-asa Island. 

As expected, he said the Chinese warship challenged the presence of the two PCG vessels over the radio and directed them to leave the area.

The Chinese Navy then issued a warning to the PCG, suggesting that failure to comply might “cause problems,” according to the official.

“Despite this, the PCG vessels did not back down and responded by asserting their rights to carry out operations within the territorial sea of Pag-asa Island,” Tarriela said. 

“They further asked the Chinese Navy to leave the area immediately instead,” he added.

‘Dangerous maneuvers’

On the morning of April 23, Tarriela said Chinese Coast Guard vessels intercepted BRP Malapascua and BRP Malabrigo that were in the vicinity of Ayungin Shoal. 

READ: Chinese, Philippine vessels in ‘David and Goliath’ near-crash

Tarriela said that Chinese Coast Guard vessel 5201 carried out dangerous maneuvers near BRP Malapascua, “maintaining a perilous distance of only 50 yards.”

“This close proximity posed a significant threat to the safety and security of the Philippine vessel and its crew,” he stressed.

Meanwhile, the CCG vessel 4202 also persistently tailed BRP Malabrigo at a distance of 700 yards, closely monitoring its movements, added Tarriela.

The CCG’s recent actions are contrary to their previous movements when the Chinese vessels gave the PCG’s vessels a “safe distance” to pass.

READ: Chinese Coast Guard vessels give PCG ships ‘safe distance’ to pass in Ayungin Shoal

Sweeping claims

The Philippines, under the administration of then President Benigno Aquino III in 2013, challenged before the United Nations-backed Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) China’s claim that it owned more than 80 percent of the South China Sea, which included waters in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam.

In 2016, the PCA invalidated China’s claim to almost the entire South China Sea.

The tribunal ruled that China’s claim had no basis in international law and that it had violated the Philippines’ sovereign right to fish and explore resources in the West Philippine Sea, the waters within the country’s 370-kilometer EEZ in the South China Sea.

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