THE PHILIPPINE Coast Guard (PCG) on Sunday said China might infringe upon other countries’ exclusive economic zone (EEZs) if its vessel deployments in Philippine waters remain unchallenged.
This was after China’s largest coast guard ship returned to the Philippines’ EEZ in the South China Sea and tried to move closer toward the Zambales coastline.
Beijing’s goal is “to normalize such deployments, and if these actions go unnoticed and unchallenged, it will enable them to alter the existing status quo,” Philippine Coast Guard spokesman Jay Tristan Tarriela said in a statement, citing satellite imagery.
“This strategy of normalization, followed by altering the status quo and ultimately operationalizing their illegal narrative, has consistently been part of the Chinese playbook,” he added.
The PCG on Saturday marked the eighth day of “monitoring and vigilant pursuit” of China Coast Guard vessels “illegally operating” within the Philippine EEZ.
The PCG first reported the presence of China Coast Guard-5901 on Jan. 5, saying it had promptly dispatched the 44.5-meter BRP Cabra after the “monster ship” was detected using Canada’s dark vessel detection system.
The ship’s erratic movements within the Philippine EEZ “indicate it is not engaged in innocent passage,” the PCG said, adding that it was “conducting a law enforcement operation, claiming jurisdiction over these waters as belonging to the People’s Republic of China.”
In the afternoon of Jan. 8, the PCG said China’s monster ship had left the coastline of Zambales and was set to be replaced by China Coast Guard-3103, which left Guangdong Province on Jan. 7.
But on Jan. 9, the PCG noted that China Coast Guard vessel-3103 was being replaced by vessel 3304, which was “illegally sailing” about 70-80 nautical miles (129.6-148.2 kilometers) off the coast of Zambales on Jan. 10.
On Saturday, the PCG said BRP Teresa Magbanua gradually pushed away vessel 3304 from the coastline of Zambales, prompting Beijing to redeploy its monster ship in an attempt to outmaneuver the Philippine ship.
“Despite the imposing size of CCG-5901, the PCG vessel has boldly approached its starboard side at a close range, effectively hindering the China Coast Guard vessel’s attempts to move towards the Zambales coastline,” the PCG said.
It said the monster ship was positioned 97 nautical miles off the coast of Zambales.
Mr. Tarriela said China could be emboldened to infringe upon the EEZ of other nations such as Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia and Indonesia if the international community remains passive amid the “illegal deployment” of China’s maritime forces.
Executive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin, who heads the National Maritime Council, earlier said the Philippines government views the monster ship’s presence within the Philippine EEZ “with concern.”
“The Coast Guard, our Coast Guard, has always been very alert in following up the presence of that monster ship.”
Mr. Tarriela said the PCG would continue to “actively expose” to the global community what it said were unlawful deployments of Chinese vessels, “ensuring that such actions are not normalized and that this bullying behavior does not succeed.” — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza