THE Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) yesterday said it has sighted another Chinese research vessel off Cagayan province, the fourth to be monitored in Philippine waters since June.
The vessel Xiang Yang Hong 05 was some 86 nautical miles from Calayan Island in Cagayan as of yesterday morning, said Commodore Jay Tarriela, the PCG’s spokesman for the West Philippine Sea.
Last week, the PCG said it sighted three other research vessels — Beo Diao 996, Xiang Yang Hong 10, and Zhuhai Yun – in June in the West Philippine Sea, specifically off Zambales and Pangasinan. The three vessels were said to have conducted marine scientific research inside the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
Tarriela said PCG commandant Adm. Ronnie Gil Gavan ordered the deployment of a PCG aircraft to conduct a maritime patrol last Saturday after receiving initial information about the vessel’s presence some 37 nautical miles off the coast of Sta Ana town, also in Cagayan.
Tarriela said the PCG aircraft sighted the aircraft some 14.92 nautical miles from Babuyan Island in Cagayan on Saturday afternoon.
“The vessel was challenged by the PCG aircraft but did not respond,” he said.
Tarriela said Xiang Yang Hong 05 left Guangdong, China last June 5, en route to the West Philippine Sea.
“It entered the Philippine exclusive economic zone on June 7, approximately 130 nautical miles from Burgos, Ilocos Norte, and subsequently left on June 9, only to re-enter the EEZ last July 31,” he said.
“Based on its historical track, the Xiang Yang Hong 05 conducted substantial marine scientific research for almost 22 days after departing the Philippine EEZ and before re-entering,” said Tarriela.
He said the vessel conducted the marine scientific research “along a parallel track in the Pacific Ocean, close to Guam at a distance of 42 nautical miles.”
Tarriela said Xiang Yang Hong 05 is a “relatively new addition to China’s fleet of research vessels.”
He said the vessel converted into a research vessel, from a cargo ship, “raising concerns among neighboring countries due to its operations within sensitive maritime zones.”
“Historically, the Xiang Yang Hong series has been associated with supporting the People’s Liberation Army Navy operations, dating back to the original vessels that participated in distant-water research and ballistic missile trials during the 1970s and 1980s,” he said.
