MANILA, Philippines — A Chinese Coast Guard vessel prowling waters off Zambales has moved from 65 to 80-90 nautical miles offshore after the "strategic maneuvering" of a Philippine patrol vessel. Still, it remains within Philippine territory despite persistent radio challenges from the Philippine side.
BRP Cabra — a Parola-class patrol vessel of the Philippine Coast Guard — continues its "vigilant monitoring" of CCG 3103's illegal presence within the country's exclusive economic zone (EEZ), PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela said in a statement on Thursday evening, January 23.
"The strategic maneuvering of BRP Cabra has effectively kept CCG-3103 from getting closer to the coastline of Zambales," he added.
The PCG spokesperson attributed the partial retreat of the Chinese vessel to the "seamanship skills of the PCG personnel abroad." It was last spotted approximately 80 to 90 nautical miles off the coast of Zambales, well within the country's 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone.
The crew of the BRP Cabra has issued hourly radio challenges to remind the Chinese vessel of its violations of Philippine maritime law and international conventions, Tarriela added.
BRP Cabra took over patrol duties from BRP Suluan on Wednesday, January 23. During the handover, a second Chinese vessel, CCG-3304, appeared briefly before withdrawing – a move the PCG interpreted as anticipating additional Philippine deployments.
The 77-meter CCG-3103 — which dwarfs the 44-meter BRP Cabra — is part of China's rotating fleet of vessels stationed in the waters off Zambales since the start of the year. While this area has not been a traditional flashpoint between both countries, it is near Scarborough Shoal, where Beijing has been restricting access since taking control in 2012.
The shoal, just 124 nautical miles from Zambales, is a rich fishing ground that a 2016 international tribunal ruled should remain open to Filipino fishermen.
China's sustained presence off Zambales, which entered its 19th day on Thursday, began when its Coast Guard sent its largest vessel just 54 nautical miles from Capones Island on January 4.
The 12,000-ton vessel's unprecedented proximity to the Philippine coastline had alarmed Philippine officials. The Department of Foreign Affairs has since filed a diplomatic protest to call on China to withdraw its vessels.
Fishermen's plight
Local fishermen have reported growing unease over China's maritime presence. Leonardo Cuaresma, who chairs the Federated Association of Fisherfolk in Masinloc, said in a radio interview earlier this week that fishing communities are operating with increased caution due to the presence of Chinese vessels.
The fisherfolk leader said tensions have been heightened by the mysterious disappearance of several local fishermen last month under calm weather conditions. While no evidence links Chinese vessels to the disappearances, fishing communities have not dismissed possible encounters with foreign ships, he said.
RELATED: 'One wrong move': China's 'monster' ship puts Zambales fishers on edge
China's increasing incursions into the Philippines' EEZ are part of its broader actions in the South China Sea, where it claims historic rights to almost all waters through its "nine-dash line." An international tribunal invalidated this claim in 2016.