Chinese research vessels spotted in West PH Sea — Coast Guard

Xiang Yang Hong 10 left Guangdong province in China on June 23 and entered the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone on July 25. The ship was seen near Balagtas Reef on July 31. — Photo from the Philippine Coast Guard

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said on Thursday that it is monitoring three Chinese research vessels operating without authorization within the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), raising concerns over possible illegal marine scientific research (MSR) activities.

PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela said two of the vessels, Zhuhaiyun and Xiang Yang Hong 10, were detected west of Luzon, both within the Philippines’ EEZ.

Tarriela said the vessels departed from Guangdong Province on June 23 and entered the Philippine EEZ on July 25.

Zhuhaiyun left Guangdong, China on June 23 and entered the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone on July 25. It was seen near Balagtas Reef on July 31. — Photo from Philippine Coast Guard

Zhuhaiyun was spotted 195.94 nautical miles off the coast of Rizal, Palawan, while Xiang Yang Hong 10 was detected 192.95 nautical miles from the same area. The two were seen moving near Balagtas Reef on Thursday morning.

“We like to believe that the two vessels are operating together,” Tarriela said in a virtual interview with reporters.

“Right now, both Chinese research vessels are continuously moving. We have already alerted our Coast Guard district in Palawan, and the commandant has also directed the deployment of a vessel to ensure we can monitor their activities.”

The PCG, utilizing Canada’s Dark Vessel Detection Program, is also tracking a third Chinese vessel, Bei Diao 996, which entered the Philippine EEZ in June.

The Bei Diao 996, which left Guangdong on June 16, was first spotted in Philippine waters on July 23. It is currently operating around 185 nautical miles off the coast of Zambales and has been observed conducting MSR activities approximately 40 nautical miles west of Bajo de Masinloc.

Bei Diao 996 left Guangdong, China on June 16 and entered Philippine waters on July 23. It is currently operating around 185 nautical miles off Zambales. — Photo from Philippine Coast Guard

The vessel is a civilian research ship with dual-use capabilities, specializing in testing underwater acoustic sensors and sonar equipment. It is China’s largest deep-sea test ship and the world’s largest SWATH catamaran, designed for high stability in rough seas.

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Meanwhile, Zhuhaiyun is known as the world’s first unmanned drone carrier for oceanographic research, with reported military dual-use capabilities such as submarine route mapping and smart mine deployment. The Xiang Yang Hong 10 is a multipurpose research vessel capable of deep-sea surveys and supporting autonomous underwater vehicles. It also has icebreaking capabilities and a dynamic positioning system for precise maritime operations.

Tarriela said the PCG is closely observing the movements of all three vessels to verify whether they are conducting unauthorized MSR within Philippine waters.

He stressed that proper documentation is necessary for the Coast Guard to formally report any illegal activities to the appropriate authorities.

“We have already alerted our Coast Guard district in Palawan, and the commandant has also directed the deployment of a vessel to ensure we can monitor their activities,” Tarriela said.

“The PCG remains committed to safeguarding the maritime domain and will take all necessary actions to enforce our laws and protect national interests,” he added in a statement. /das