Philippine Operation Targets Chinese Survey Ship
On Thursday, the Philippine Coast Guard reported deploying its biggest ship along with an aircraft to intercept a Chinese research vessel active in waters off northern Batanes province, close to Taiwan. Coast guard spokesperson Jay Tarriela stated that the action halted the ship's unapproved marine scientific work and made it quit its loitering spot. The Chinese ship, named JIA HAI KE 7, had been positioned roughly 37 nautical miles northwest of Itbayat Island since September 28, per the coast guard.[S1]
The Philippine ship, the 97-metre BRP Teresa Magbanua, approached within 100 yards of the JIA HAI KE 7 and sent out a rigid-hull inflatable boat that went around the research vessel several times while crew members broadcast radio challenges. According to the coast guard, the Chinese ship made repeated manoeuvres to avoid the Philippine boats during the encounter. The coast guard had earlier accused this same Chinese-flagged survey ship of faking its location while loitering off Batanes.[S1]
China Coast Guard Intervenes as Tensions Rise
During the operation, a China Coast Guard vessel showed up in an attempt to protect the survey ship and sent its own radio challenges to the Philippine vessel. The Philippine Coast Guard called the presence of a China Coast Guard ship notable because the JIA HAI KE 7 is privately owned, which raises doubts about its potential ties to the Chinese government and what purpose any data it gathered near undersea cable routes off Batanes and the Luzon Strait might serve.[S1]
The coast guard stated that the operation was still underway, yet it had managed to make the JIA HAI KE 7 depart from its loitering position. The BRP Teresa Magbanua kept watching the Chinese vessel to confirm it left the Philippines' exclusive economic zone. The Chinese Embassy in Manila did not respond right away to a request for comment.[S1]
