The Philippines has expressed concern over China’s deployment of its largest coastguard vessel—referred to by Manila as a “monster ship”—within its exclusive economic zone (EEZ), calling it an alarming move clearly intended to intimidate fishermen near a shoal in the disputed South China Sea, media reported on Tuesday.
Philippines National Security Council spokesperson Jonathan Malaya reportedly stated on Tuesday that Manila has lodged a protest over the presence of the 165-metre (541-foot) Chinese coastguard vessel 5901, spotted 77 nautical miles (142 kilometres) off the coast of Zambales province, and has demanded its withdrawal from the EEZ.
“We were surprised about the increasing aggression being shown by the People’s Republic of China in deploying the monster ship,” Malaya reportedly said, adding, “It is an escalation and provocative.” He also stated that the presence of the vessel was “illegal” and “unacceptable”.
According to the report, the Philippine Coastguard stated that it had deployed two of its largest vessels, in turn, to drive away the Chinese ship.
Meanwhile, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Guo Jiakun reportedly stated on Monday that the coastguard’s “patrol and law enforcement activities” in the area were “reasonable, lawful and beyond reproach”.
On Monday, the Philippines National Maritime Council condemned the “illegal presence and operations” of “Chinese maritime forces and militia” within the country’s territorial waters and EEZ, identifying two coastguard ships and a Chinese naval helicopter that had “hovered above” a Philippine coastguard vessel. “The escalatory actions of these Chinese vessels and aircraft clearly disregard Philippine and international laws,” the council added in a statement.
Tensions between the Philippines and China have significantly risen over the past two years due to their overlapping territorial claims in the South China Sea.
In 2016, an international tribunal declared that China’s claims to vast portions of the disputed waters had no legal foundation, a ruling that Beijing does not recognise.
China’s extensive claims intersect with the EEZs of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam.
