Philippines-China relations

Coast Guard shoos away Chinese navy warship in West Philippine Sea

Jairo Bolledo

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Coast Guard shoos away Chinese navy warship in West Philippine Sea

CHALLENGED. A Chinese navy ship is expelled by a Philippine Coast Guard vessel in Marie Louise Bank on July 13, 2021.

Philippine Coast Guard

The Philippine Coast Guard says its vessel BRP Cabra challenged Chinese Navy Warship 189 in Marie Louis Bank located in the West Philippine Sea

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) recently shooed away a Chinese navy warship from the West Philippine Sea, authorities confirmed Monday, July 19, as China increases its presence in waters belonging to the Philippines.

A PCG ship, BRP Cabra (MRV-4409), challenged Chinese Navy Warship 189 in Marie Louise Bank located in the West Philippine Sea on July 13, according to PCG spokesperson Commodore Armand Balilo. The bank is found 147 nautical miles away from El Nido, Palawan. 

Coast Guard shoos away Chinese navy warship in West Philippine Sea

Balilo said that after the PCG spotted the ship, PCG personnel calmly sent a radio challenge to the Chinese ship while monitoring its movements through radar technology. Afterwards, the PCG ship moved closer to the Chinese vessel to look closely at its activities. 

The Chinese ship did not respond so the PCG personnel, led by Commander Erwin Tolentino, used a long-range acoustic device (LRAD) to send another verbal challenge. After the PCG’s last message, the Chinese ship moved away from Marie Louise Bank. 

The BRP Cabra followed the Chinese ship to ensure it will leave the Philippine exclusive economic zone. However, when the Chinese vessel noticed that the PCG ship was 600 yards away from its location, it sent a radio challenge, according to the PCG spokesperson. 

“Philippine Coast Guard 4409, this is Chinese Navy Warship 189. Please keep two nautical miles distance from me,” the radio challenge said. 

Balilo added that the Chinese vessel had a flag of the People’s Republic of China on its deck. Chinese characters were also written on the ship. 

PCG said that it will continue its maritime patrols despite the continuous Chinese presence in the Philippine waters. The agency added that it observes the Rules for the Use of Force in guarding the country’s territory.

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On June 30, the BRP Cabra also expelled five Chinese ships and two Vietnamese vessels from Marie Louise Bank. Two months earlier, on April 27, the same ship shooed away seven Chinese maritime militia ships in Sabina Shoal near Puerto Princesa, Palawan. 

This comes as China continues to send its ships to the West Philippine Sea. In a report released by US-based geospatial firm Simularity, a total of 238 Chinese vessels were spotted in the country’s exclusive economic zone from mid-May to June 17. – Rappler.com

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Jairo Bolledo

Jairo Bolledo is a multimedia reporter at Rappler covering justice, police, and crime.