MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Tuesday said the Philippines viewed with concern the presence of China’s “monster coast guard ship” in the Philippine waters, saying the government is actively challenging such incursions.
Speaking to reporters in Malacañang, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has been “very alert” since the appearance of the Chinese ship.
“We view it with concern. This is how it is, so far, we have been challenging the presence of that monster ship. Our Coast Guard has been very alert in tracking and challenging the presence of that monster ship,” Bersamin said during a press conference.
The Palace official said that the encounters, which often involved counter-challenges by Chinese Coast Guard vessels, have so far avoided confrontation.
“It keeps appearing, and it is within our exclusive economic zone, so it is being challenged,” Bersamin said.
“There were many occasions when our coast guard vessels challenged theirs. China also issues counter-challenges, but it all works out in the end, and nothing confrontational happens,” he added.
Bersamin described the situation as an operational matter but said that the government has mechanisms in place to address such disputes.
“The issue here may be projection, but I’m not going to say anything more because that is a matter of operations,” he said.
Bersamin said the Philippine government has always been filing protests against China’s continued presence and aggression in the West Philippine Sea.
He also said that there have been vice ministerial talks between Manila and Beijing to address issues in the region.
“These meetings alternate between the two countries and are specifically tasked with discussing peaceful settlements of disputes in the West Philippine Sea,” Bersamin said, adding that the talks focus on the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone and territorial waters.
“This is the precise issue that they address, the settlement of the dispute in the West Philippine Sea,” he added.
A Chinese Coast Guard vessel, identified as CCG 5901 and nicknamed “The Monster” for its size and capabilities, was recently spotted patrolling just 50 nautical miles from the country’s coastline.
The vessel’s proximity to Luzon, east of Scarborough Shoal, has raised alarm in Manila as tensions over territorial claims in the West Philippine Sea intensify.
Scarborough Shoal, located within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, has long been a focal point in the maritime dispute between the two nations.
PCG spokesman for West Philippine Sea Jay Tarriela said that based on their observations, the Chinese vessel’s “erratic movements” showed that it was not engaged in innocent passage.
“Observations reveal that the CCG vessel’s erratic movements indicate it is not engaged in innocent passage but rather asserts that it is conducting a law enforcement operation, claiming jurisdiction over these waters as belonging to the People’s Republic of China,” Tarriela said.
“The Philippine Coast Guard reaffirms its dedication to protecting the nation’s maritime interests and will continue to monitor the activities of the CCG’s illegitimate presence,” he added.
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