9 China Coast Guard vessels patrolling PH EEZ – US maritime expert

Philippine Coast Guard photo taken on Saturday shows China Coast Guard Vessel 5901, also known as “The Monster,” in the coastal waters of Zambales province before it began to move away that evening. (Philippine Coast Guard)

MANILA, Philippines — Nine large China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels, including the “monster ship” were “patrolling” in the Philippine exclusive economic zone, a United States maritime expert reported on Wednesday.

“There are currently at least 9 large China Coast Guard ships patrolling the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone to assert and enforce Beijing’s vast maritime claims,” said Ray Powell, director of SeaLight, a program of Stanford University’s Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation.

Powell posted the information on X (formerly Twitter), along with a map indicating the purported locations of the ships.

There are currently at least 9 large 🇨🇳#China Coast Guard ships patrolling the 🇵🇭#Philippines‘ exclusive economic zone to assert & enforce Beijing’s vast maritime claims. #maritimeoccupation pic.twitter.com/W0pmHeBIF8

— Ray Powell (@GordianKnotRay) January 8, 2025

— Ray Powell (@GordianKnotRay) January 8, 2025

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has yet to confirm this information, but on Tuesday night it reported that the monster ship —  CCG 5901 — continues to operate near Luzon.

In response, PCG’s BRP Cabra continues to monitor the ship’s illegal presence, operating 60 to 70 miles off the coastline of Zambales.

Over the weekend, the PCG confirmed the CCG vessel’s presence about 54 nautical miles off the coast of Capones Island in Zambales.

Beijing’s continued aggression was based on its assertion of sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, including most of the West Philippine Sea, as it continues to reject a July 2016 Arbitral Award that effectively dismissed its claims and ruled in favor of Manila.

The landmark ruling stemmed from a case filed by Manila in 2013, a year after its tense standoff with Beijing over Panatag Shoal, whose lagoon the latter now effectively controls.