Locsin orders check on Chinese survey ship near Recto Bank

MANILA, Philippines — Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. on Friday ordered a check on the reported presence of a Chinese survey vessel near Recto or Reed Bank in the West Philippine Sea.

Citing data from ship tracking intelligence MarineTraffic, Twitter user @JAVAPRINCE4 posted photos of the track of Chinese survey ship Xiang Yang Hong 4.

According to MarineTraffic, the Chinese research ship departed Guangzhou, China on July 22 and arrived in the area of Recto Bank on August 6.

Another Chinese research vessel is currently in the Reed Banks. China wants it so bad indeed!
XIANG YANG HONG 14 departed from China on July 22, and arrived in the Reed Banks on August 6. What could this research ship be doing if it's stopping there? pic.twitter.com/h18VnGzZ2m

— JAVA PRINCE (@JAVAPRINCE4) August 6, 2020

In response to this, Locsin asked the DFA Office of Asian and Pacific Affairs to look into the reported presence of the Chinese vessel in Philippine exclusive economic zone.

"I know there was permission for a US survey ship, then a French one though I can't remember when that was from the undiminishing pile of sheets on my table," Locsin tweeted Friday morning.

"What I know is there's very little interest in marine surveys of [South China Sea] by Western outfits; they don't think much of the prospects in our neck of the woods," he added.

I know there was permission for a US survey ship, then a French one though I can't remember when that was from the undiminishing pile of sheets on my table. @DFAPHL ASPAC check on this. https://t.co/ZS3ZBVEWIH

— Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) August 7, 2020

Around the same time last year, President Rodrigo Duterte banned foreign marine survey ships in the Philippine exclusive economic zone following several reports of Chinese survey ships entering the country's waters.

The Duterte administration warned that it will enforce an "unfriendly" response against foreign vessels passing through Philippine territorial waters.

Then presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said all foreign vessels passing through the country's territorial waters must get clearance from the government in advance of actual passage.