Alejano: Chinese research ship 'Kexue' has arrived to study Philippine waters
MANILA, Philippines — China’s most sophisticated research ship has arrived in Philippine waters to conduct marine scientific research after securing a permit from the Department of Foreign Affairs, a lawmaker claimed Tuesday.
Rep. Gary Alejano (Magdalo party-list) earlier slammed the DFA for allowing the Institute of Oceanology of Chinese Academy of Sciences (IO-CAS) to conduct research in waters off Eastern Luzon, where Benham Rise (Philippine Rise) is located, and off Eastern Mindanao.
The Chinese marine exploration will take place on January 24 to February 25 this year.
READ: Alejano: DFA approved Chinese think tank request to study Philippine waters
Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lu Kang later disclosed that Chinese research vessel "Kexue" will survey Philippine eastern waters.
READ: Chinese ship ‘Kexue’ to conduct research in Philippine waters
In a statement, Alejano said his “sources” informed him that Kexue was at northeast of Palanan, Isabela as of January 23.
He also claimed that the research ship entered the Philippine territory on January 22, “two days early from the granted duration” of the sea exploration.
“What we should make sure now is the compliance of China to all the requirements demanded by the Philippine government as conditions to the permit issued,” Alejano pointed out.
“In particular, we should be wary on the sharing of information that will be culled from the said expedition. Filipino scientists on board should be given equal access to all results of the research activity,” he added.
The $87.5-million Kexue was handed over to IO-CAS in 2012, newspaper China Daily reported.
Weighing 4,711 tons, China Daily described Kexue as a “moving laboratory on the sea” capable of global voyages and all-day observations.
The Chinese researchers will be joined by the University of the Philippines – Marine Science Institute “as a requirement.”
In 2012, the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf approved the Philippines’ undisputed claim to the Benham Rise.
President Rodrigo Duterte earlier signed an Executive Order officially renaming Benham Rise to “Philippine Rise” to assert the country’s sovereignty there following reports that Chinese research vessels were spotted surveying the area in 2016.
Malacañang had sought to defend the Philippine government’s approval of the Chinese marine exploration, saying Filipinos can’t conduct research in Benham Rise without the help of Beijing because such an activity is “capital intensive.”
But Alejano refuted the Palace’s statement, arguing that “it is not because our scientists do not have the ability to conduct research. It is because the government does not allot sufficiently for it.”
For his part, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano had said the law gives equal chance to foreign countries to study Philippine waters as long as there are Filipinos on board.
Foreign marine researchers must also share their findings and data with their Filipino counterparts, Cayetano added.
In a move to dispel claims over the Duterte administration’s alleged bias toward China, the country’s top diplomat also on Tuesday said the DFA approved 13 applications from the US, nine from Japan, and four from South Korea to do research in Benham Rise.
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