China’s ‘monster ship’ returns to West Philippine Sea amid talks 

The 12,000-ton China Coast Guard 5901 is the world’s largest coast guard ship
Photo from https://www.sealight.live

MANILA, Philippines—Amid ongoing talks between Manila and Beijing, the China Coast Guard’s (CCG) biggest vessel, dubbed the “monster ship,” returned to the West Philippine Sea on Wednesday morning.

West Philippine Sea monitor Ray Powell told INQUIRER.net on Wednesday that a CCG vessel with hull number 5901 was spotted off Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal at 7:26 a.m. and is now going towards Mischief Reef.

The “monster ship” returned in the West Philippine Sea a few days after leaving the country’s exclusive economic zone on June 27.

READ: West PH Sea: China ‘monster’ ship came much nearer to El Nido, Palawan – PCG

“Beijing sent CCG 5901 to Ayungin shoal at the same time as the BCM (bilateral consultation mechanism) was going on,” Powell, who heads SeaLight, which monitors Chinese activity in the South China Sea, told INQUIRER.net in a message on X.

The resupply activity of BRP Sierra Madre, a naval outpost grounded in Ayungin Shoal, has become one of the flash points of tension between Manila and Beijing.

The June 17 confrontation between the CCG and the Philippine Navy there led to what the latter deemed as “looting” and caused a serious injury to one of its personnel.

Beijing’s actions are in line with its assertion of sovereignty in almost the entire South China Sea, including most of the West Philippine Sea, as it continues to reject a July 2016 Arbitral Award which effectively dismissed its claims while ruling heavily in favor of Manila.

Manila and Beijing held the regular BCM on Tuesday following the June 17 incident, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

“Noting recent incidents in the South China Sea, both sides recognized that there is a need to restore trust, rebuild confidence, and create conditions conducive to productive dialogue and interaction,” the DFA said in a statement on Tuesday.

READ: ‘Monster ship’ in West PH Sea part of China’s intimidation tactics – expert

Distrust remains

Notwithstanding the bilateral talks between two countries, security expert Chester Cabalza said Beijing still seeks to put pressure on Manila through the deployment of its giant ship.

Cabalza told INQUIRER.net that the presence of the giant CCG ship “shows the asymmetrical security relationship which means that they still distrust the Philippines.”

“The presence of its monster ship in the West Philippine Sea means that China is adamant in leveraging its sovereignty interests,” Cabalza, president and founder of Manila-based think tank International Development and Security Cooperation, also said in a text message.

Despite this, Cabalza hopes that BCM “will open more dialogues between the two parties to de-escalate the tension.”

“At least now China and the Philippines are on speaking terms and hoping it would lead to a mature and frank conversation,” he said.

Intimidation

Powell and a geopolitical analyst said this move also aims to intimidate the country.

“China aims to force the Philippines to negotiate from a position of relative weakness in hopes of extracting concessions in exchange for de-escalation,” Powell said.

Geopolitical analyst Don McLain Gill said “Beijing is trying to intimidate the Philippines in its own sovereign waters” due to its hardline stance against what he called “expansionist ambitions” in the West Philippine Sea.

“China has always employed a ‘might is right’ approach when dealing with neighbours,” Gill, a lecturer at the De La Salle University’s Department of International Studies, told INQUIRER.net in a text message.

“While some have agreed to follow Beijing’s interests, Manila today has been strongly pushing back against China’s expansionist and illegal ambitions towards the West Philippine Sea,” he added.