2 Chinese research ships now at Scarborough days after collision

Autonomous mothership Zhu Hai Yun joins deep-sea research ship Xiang Yang Hong 10 in the vicinity of Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal as of Wednesday morning. — Screengrab from SeaLight

MANILA, Philippines — There are now two Chinese research vessels in the vicinity of Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal, which came nine days after the collision of their own ships there, a West Philippine Sea monitor said on Wednesday.

SeaLight director Ray Powell said the autonomous mothership Zhu Hai Yun arrived there on Monday, joining the Xiang Yang Hong 10 deep-sea research ship, which has been in the area since August 15.

As of 10:56 a.m., the two ships were spotted in the vicinity of Panatag Shoal, according to Powell, program head of Stanford University’s Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation, in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

The presence of two ships came after the August 11 collision between a People’s Liberation Army-Navy (PLA-N) warship and a China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel in its botched attempt to frustrate a Philippine Coast Guard-led mission for Filipino fisherfolk.

READ: Chinese ships collide off Scarborough Shoal; PH Coast Guard offers aid

A 157-meter PLA-N warship with hull no. 164 joined the blocking operations against BRP Suluan, leading to the Chinese warship colliding with a CCG ship with hull no. 3104.

Both Chinese ships suffered damage, with CCG-3104’s forecastle being crushed while four of its crew went overboard. On the other hand, BRP Suluan managed to evade the maneuver.

READ: ‘Major loss of face’: China experts weigh in on ‘news blackout’ of Scarborough collision

On August 12, Powell said Chinese ships were seen in a “parallel sweep” track, which was indicative of a search and rescue (SAR) operation.

READ: China’s search, rescue ops tracked at Panatag

Zhu Hai Yun can deploy more than 50 air, surface and subsea drones, but Powell said its purpose is “definitely not SAR.”

“That’s the million-dollar question!” Powell told the Inquirer when asked the reason for its deployment. “I’m not sure I have a great answer … yet.”

Powell said Zhu Hai Yun first “loitered” briefly off Panatag Shoal on July 26 to 27 on its way down to the Spratly Islands area.

“That was the first time,” Powell said.

Since its effective control in 2012, China conducts what Powell termed as exclusion zone enforcement in Panatag Shoal, flouting the 2016 arbitral award which declared it a shared fishing ground of China, Vietnam, and the Philippines. /das