CHINA COAST GUARD TENSION ON WEST PHILIPPINE SEA


The China Coast Guard monster ship spotted inside Philippine’s exclusive economic zone (Photo courtesy of Ray Powell)
According to international maritime security expert Ray Powell, the largest ship of the China Coast Guard, ship 5901 or the so-called "monster ship", continues to hover within the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the country.
The Philippine Coast Guard has been monitoring it since April because of the found dead and crushed corals and its alleged attempt to build an artificial island. It was first spotted at Ayungin Shoal the other day and passed near BRP Sierra Madre. It was also seen in part of Pagasa Island on June 19.
Meanwhile, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) released another video on the CCG's interception of the Philippines' resupply mission on June 17. The video shows the CCG's inflatable boat chasing and hitting a Philippine Navy boat. China called the actions of their coast guard professional.
On the other hand, according to Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., the schedule of the rotation and resupply (RoRe) mission of the Philippines to the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal will no longer be made public said to be based on the decision of President Bongbong Marcos.
"The President has reiterated that we will not publish schedules of any RoRe (rotation and resupply missions)," Teodoro Jr. stated.
Teodoro also said that the last resupply mission at BRP Sierra Madre was not an accident or a misunderstanding. He said, what the China Coast Guard did was clearly an aggressive activity and illegal use of force.
“We have now come to the conclusion that it was not a misunderstanding or an accidenet. We are not downplaying the incident, it was an aggressive and illegal use of force,” he said.
Regular RoRe missions and other operations will continue without the need to notify anyone. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said they will continue to maintain diplomacy with China amid the tension in the West Philippine Sea.
Source: Philippine News Agency
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