Chinese ship seen traversing PH waters went to Indian Ocean – PCG
Track of Chinese research vessel Song Hang inside the country’s archipelagic waters on April 1, 2025. Screengrab from SeaLight Director Ray Powell
MANILA, Philippines — The Chinese research ship seen traversing the Philippines’ archipelagic waters was going to the Indian Ocean “to catch fish,” according to Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela.
Tarriela said it was China’s research vessel Song Hang’s response to its radio challenges — one on Wednesday and another on Thursday morning.
The vessel was last spotted 42.6 nautical miles off Bungao, Tawi-Tawi, around 11 a.m.
READ: PCG deploys aircraft to check Chinese research ship in PH waters
“Last night, when BRP Malabasgua was also conducting maritime patrol off the coast of Mapun Island, we were able to do a radio challenge to the Chinese research vessel at a distance of 34.6 north of northeast of Mapun Island,” Tarriela said.
“Unlike yesterday, this Chinese research vessel responded to our questions like one, where is it heading? The Chinese research vessel answered the radio challenge and said it is proceeding to the Sibutu Passage going to the Indian Ocean,” he added.
“And what is quite unusual with the response of a Chinese research vessel, they said they are going to the Indian Ocean to catch fish. So as of this time, those are the updates that we have,” he also said.
Tarriela also disclosed that the PCG issued another radio challenge on Thursday morning, and the crew aboard the Chinese vessel reiterated their response.
He said 25 Chinese nationals manned the research vessel.
On Tuesday, SeaLight Director Ray Powell revealed that research vessel Song Hang “has routinely taken inside 25 nautical miles of various islands, including Luzon.”
“While many ships pass through archipelagic waters, this ship does not appear to be moving straight through, as would be typical of an innocent passage,” he added.
He also raised the possibility that the research ship was conducting surveillance.
In response, Tarriela said they dispatched an aircraft to challenge the presence of the Chinese vessel.
Last February, Lan Hai 101 — one of China’s largest fisheries research ships — transited inside the Philippines’ archipelagic waters, passing between the islands of Busuanga and Mindoro at one point.
