West PH Sea: PCG urges Chinese envoy to explain continued ship presence

Chinese Navy Rear Admiral Su Yinsheng (R) and Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian (L) greet Chinese nationals after the arrival of the Chinese naval training ship Qi Jiguang”in Manila on June 14, 2023. FILE PHOTO/Agence France-Presse

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Wednesday urged Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian to address the persistent presence of Chinese vessels in Philippine waters, particularly in Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal), during his courtesy call on Senate President Chiz Escudero.

PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela said he hoped the ambassador “took the opportunity” to raise the issue during his meeting with Escudero at the Senate.

“This matter is of great concern to many Filipinos, as it directly impacts their livelihoods and cultural heritage,” Tarriela said in a statement posted on the social media platform X.

READ: 3 CCG ships pass near Batanes in ‘very unusual’ pattern – WPS tracker

The Coast Guard official cited a report from Ray Powell, director of SeaLight at Stanford University’s Gordian Knot Center, who tracks maritime activity in the West Philippine Sea.

On Wednesday night, Powell reported that at least seven Chinese Coast Guard vessels and 14 maritime militia ships were swarming around Scarborough Shoal, a disputed feature within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.

Powell also noted the movement of other Chinese ships, with CCG vessels 3301 and 3304 being monitored as they moved northwest through the Bashi Channel, between the Batanes Islands and Taiwan. Meanwhile, CCG 4304 was reportedly patrolling about 70 nautical miles west of Batanes.

Tarriela said the Chinese ambassador should address the issue if he is sincere about engaging with Philippine officials.

READ: Why West Philippine Sea docu film ‘Food Delivery’ stirs controversy?

“If the honorable ambassador is truly sincere in engaging our esteemed senators, he should be addressing this issue,” he said.

The meeting between Huang and Escudero was described by Huang as a “courtesy call” to exchange views on matters of mutual interest.

‘Transparent conversations’

Tarriela also urged the ambassador to reflect on the recently released documentary Food Delivery: Fresh from the West Philippine Sea, directed by award-winning Filipino filmmaker Baby Ruth Villarama.

The 2025 film documents the journeys of Filipino fishermen and the continued efforts of the Philippine Coast Guard and Navy to protect them in the waters.

“We Filipinos greatly value such candid and transparent conversations—no pretense and no fooling each other. We walk our talk,” Tarriela said.

Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Scarborough Shoal, has been a flashpoint in the Philippines-China maritime tensions for over a decade.

Despite a 2016 international arbitral ruling that invalidated China’s sweeping claims in the South China Sea, Beijing continues to assert control over the shoal and other features in the West Philippine Sea. /dl