MANILA, Philippines — As the Philippine Coast Guard officially welcomed its Chinese counterpart Tuesday, another China Coast Guard (CCG)
ship has been located monitoring
Ayungin or Second Thomas Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.
Ryan Martinson, assistant professor at China Maritime Studies Institute, posted a photo of the track of a CCG ship near the
shoal, where Filipino troops
are stationed.
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"Meanwhile, a China Coast Guard ship steams back and forth, menacing Philippine Marines posted at Second Thomas Shoal," Martinson posted on Twitter.
The Philippines rolls out the red carpet for the Commander of the China Coast Guard. Meanwhile, a China Coast Guard ship steams back and forth, menacing Philippine Marines posted at Second Thomas Shoal. https://t.co/vLlFa0iJui pic
— Ryan Martinson (@rdmartinson88) January 14, 2020.twitter.com/On8B7wnXiF
Martinson added that the ship operating near
Ayungin Shoal is part of the same unit where the CCG ship visiting the Philippines belongs to.
CCG Vessel 5204 docked at the port of Manila Monday afternoon for a five-day goodwill visit.
On Tuesday morning, the PCG led by Adm. Joel Garcia held a welcome ceremony for CCG Director General Maj. Gen.
Wang Zhongcai.
Last year, the Department of National Defense reported to the House of Representatives that CCG ships have been
in close proximity to
Ayungin Shoal since January 2019.
The DND also reported an incident wherein a CCG ship blocked the route of three Philippine civilian vessels on a resupply mission to grounded BRP Sierra Madre on the shoal.
The CCG vessel with bow number 3305 came as close as 1,600 yards to the Philippine boats, according to the DND.
Following this report, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin ordered the filing of a diplomatic protest over the entry of Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea.
Ayungin Shoal is less than 20 nautical miles from Mischief Reef, one of China's artificial islands in the
Spratlys.