PCG sends aircraft to monitor Chinese research vessel in Luzon Strait

Chinese research vessel Xiang Yang Hong 05 was first tracked approximately 37 nautical miles off Sta. Ana coast, prompting the Philippine Coast Guard to dispatch one of its aircraft in the area on Saturday, August 2, 2025. — Photo from PCG

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has deployed an aircraft to the Luzon Strait in the northern top of the country near Batanes and Taiwan to monitor and challenge a Chinese research vessel that has been spotted in the area.

The PCG said Chinese vessel Xiang Yang Hong 05 was first tracked approximately 68.5 kilometers (37 nautical miles) off Sta. Ana coast in Cagayan province, prompting it to dispatch one of its aircraft to the area on Saturday.

“The PCG aircraft successfully conducted its [maritime domain awareness] flight yesterday afternoon and physically sighted the Xiang Yang Hong 05 at a distance of 14.92 nautical miles (27.6 km) from Babuyan Island [the main northernmost island in the island group also of that name]. The vessel was challenged by the PCG aircraft but did not respond,” the PCG disclosed in a statement on Sunday.

Luzon Strait is a crucial passage that connects the Philippine Sea with the West Philippine Sea (WPS), but is not part of the territorial dispute between Manila and Beijing.

This body of water between the country’s northernmost province of Batanes and the self-governing island of Taiwan also includes the Bashi Channel to the north, the Balintang Channel in the center, and the Babuyan Channel to the south.

Entered EEZ

Based on its records, the PCG said Xiang Yang Hong 05 had previously left Guangdong province in China on June 5 en route to WPS.

It entered the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) two days later on June 7. It was about 240.76 km (130 nautical miles) from Burgos, Ilocos Norte, at that time, but it left on June 9.

Before reentering the EEZ on July 31, the PCG said Xiang Yang Hong 05 conducted substantial marine scientific research for almost 22 days.

“This research occurred along a parallel track in the Pacific Ocean, close to Guam at a distance of 42 nautical miles (77.8 km),” it reported.

Latest PCG data showed that the Chinese vessel was last spotted 159 km (86 nautical miles) from Calayan Island, Cagayan, based on the automatic identification system.

PH Sea, airspace

In May this year, the PCG reported monitoring three Chinese research vessels within the EEZ. These are the Xiang Yang Hong 302, Tan Sou Er Hao, and the Zhong Shan Da Xue.

Chinese presence has also been observed time and again in Philippine airspace.

Beijing’s continued incursions in maritime areas beyond its coasts is 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 the 2016 arbitral ruling that effectively dismissed its claims and ruled in favor of Manila following its 2013 arbitral case against Beijing.

In April also this year, the Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong (CV-17) was spotted near the Babuyan Islands.

In a message to the Philippine News Agency, Philippine Navy spokesperson for WPS Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad said the Shandong was first detected in the early hours of April 22 some 187.6 km (101.3 nautical miles) off Burgos, Ilocos Norte.

It was spotted a few hours later at around 4 km—or 2.23 nautical miles—southwest of Babuyan Island, well within the Philippines’ archipelagic waters. Its confirmed position as of April 23 was 332.6 km (179.6 nautical miles) east of Patunungan, Sta. Ana, Cagayan.

Shandong

The Shandong is described as a “short take off, barrier arrested recovery” aircraft carrier of around 60,000 tons with a top speed of 31 knots. The ship measures 305 meters and has a beam of 75 meters. It is capable of carrying 30 aircraft.

In July 2024, the Shandong also passed through the Balintang Channel on its way to drills in the West Pacific. Its movement was also reported by the Taiwanese defense ministry, which said it had detected 36 Chinese military aircraft heading in the same direction to join the Shandong. /cb —with a report from Inquirer Research

Sources: Inquirer archives, pna.gov.ph