Chinese research vessel sighted near Sierra Madre

The Philippine Coast Guard said on May 18 that it had monitored what it called unauthorized Chinese marine scientific research near Cay-2 and Cay-3, sandbars close to Pag-asa Island in the West Philippine Sea. The agency identified the vessel as Xiang Yang Hong 33 and said it was escorted by China Coast Guard ships 5101 and 5309. The coast guard said Chinese personnel were seen landing on Cay-2 before moving to Cay-3. The report added to a series of Philippine complaints this month over Chinese research ships operating in waters Manila says fall within its exclusive economic zone. ### Which ship did the Philippines say it tracked near Pag-asa? Xiang Yang Hong 33 was the vessel named by the Philippine Coast Guard in its May 18 statement. GMA News, citing the coast guard, said the ship was monitored on May 16 near Cay-2 and Cay-3 and described it as a research vessel capable of supporting submersibles, mapping the seafloor, gathering deep-sea data and carrying out marine ecological studies. (gmanetwork.com) April 15 was the date the coast guard said the vessel left Guangzhou, before entering the West Philippine Sea on April 18. Since then, the agency said, the ship had been conducting what it called illegal marine scientific research across several features in Philippine waters. ### What exactly did Philippine authorities say happened at the cays? (gmanetwork.com) The Philippine Coast Guard said Chinese Coast Guard vessels 5101 and 5309 escorted the research ship and deployed rigid-hulled inflatable boats and rubber boats. The agency said Chinese personnel were observed landing on Cay-2 and then proceeding to Cay-3. It said those activities took place without the consent of the Philippine government. (gmanetwork.com) Twenty Chinese maritime militia vessels were also documented in waters around Sandy Cay 3 and 4 during a maritime domain awareness flight, the coast guard said. The same flight, conducted by Islander aircraft 4177, monitored the area and carried out radio challenges to the Chinese vessels, according to the statement cited by GMA News. ### Why is Manila calling the activity unauthorized? (gmanetwork.com) The Philippine Coast Guard said foreign states must obtain prior permission before conducting marine scientific research in another country’s territorial sea. The agency said no such consent had been granted to China for the operations near Pag-asa. It said the activity breached Philippine sovereignty and violated the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. (gmanetwork.com) Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan, the coast guard commandant, said the agency would not allow unauthorized foreign research or incursions into the territorial sea near Pag-asa Island. Rear Admiral Jay Tarriela, the coast guard spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, said earlier this month that Manila was deploying aircraft and vessels to challenge and drive away Chinese research ships it said were operating without government consent. (gmanetwork.com) ### Has this ship appeared in Philippine complaints before? May 3 was the date the coast guard publicly identified four Chinese research vessels it said were operating illegally near Palawan, Batanes and Pangasinan. Xiang Yang Hong 33 was among the ships listed, alongside Shi Yan 1, Jia Geng and Zhuhaiyun. The coast guard said at the time that the vessels were being tracked using Canada’s Dark Vessel Detection System and that aircraft and vessels would be deployed in response. (gmanetwork.com) May 7 was the date Reuters reported that the Philippines had accused China of carrying out illegal marine scientific research near Reed Bank, again naming Xiang Yang Hong 33. AFP also reported that Philippine aircraft had issued radio warnings after the vessel was seen near Iroquois Reef in the Spratly chain. (gmanetwork.com) ### What has China said about these research missions? China’s foreign ministry said earlier this month that the research vessels were conducting normal scientific research and navigating normally in waters under what it called Chinese jurisdiction, according to Bloomberg reporting carried by The Star and The Straits Times. The ministry also urged the Philippines to cease what it called dangerous actions and keep its distance from Chinese boats. (thestar.com.my) Beijing did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment in the May 7 report on Reed Bank operations. No separate Chinese response was immediately available in the materials reviewed for the May 18 Pag-asa incident. ### What comes next around Pag-asa? May 18 is the date of the latest Philippine Coast Guard statement, and further details are likely to come through additional coast guard releases and patrol reports from the Pag-asa area. (thestar.com.my) The agency said it remained committed to defending maritime zones and had already used aircraft surveillance and radio challenges against the Chinese vessels. (gmanetwork.com) (thestar.com.my)