Another Chinese ship spotted shadowing Balikatan exercises

MANILA, Philippines — Another vessel of China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) was spotted yesterday near the location of the participating ships for the Multilateral Maritime Exercises (MME) under Balikatan 2024 in Palawan.

Capt. Ariel Coloma, spokesperson for the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Western Command, said ships conducting MME in the northern part of Palawan monitored a PLAN vessel with bow number 578 around 9 a.m.

“We are monitoring them, too. We record. Then we report whatever our ships are monitoring in the area,” Coloma said

Previously, a Chinese ship with bow number 793 was seen on Saturday in the vicinity of Balikatan ships conducting the MME, he said. However, 793 is no longer in the area. 

“As long as we continue to monitor and report them, we have the confidence that we are in control of the situation in the area. The exercises continue. The MME’s training events continue,” Coloma said. “In fact, they are now preparing for a photo exercise with our allied counterparts and search and rescue simulation drills.”

The MME, involving the navies of the Philippines, United States and France, is being held within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.

Coloma said the military exercise planners have considered scenarios, contingencies and sightings of Chinese vessels.

“On a daily basis we are successful and we are achieving our training objectives,” he added.

The MME started on April 25 and ends in the southern part of Palawan today.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Coast Guard said yesterday that they would be monitoring a reported China-flagged research vessel that has allegedly been “loitering” in the east coast of the country for more than two days.

Coast Guard spokesperson Rear Admiral Armand Balilo told The STAR that they would “monitor” the movements of the research survey vessel Shen Kuo, whose location was detected through a Twitter post by maritime security analyst Ray Powell, director of SeaLight at the Stanford Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation. 

Balilo’s response was based on Powell’s post that “China’s Hong Kong-based deep sea research ship Shen Kuo which carries the submersible Rainbow Fish, has been loitering off the Philippines’ east coast & well within its exclusive economic zone for over two days.”

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) had also detected the Shen Kuo in the vicinity northeast of Viga, Catanduanes. 

AFP Public Affairs Office chief Col. Xerxes Trinidad said the vessel was first sighted on April 25 at 60.9 nautical miles east of Rapu-Rapu Island, Albay. 

Based on reports from the Tactical Operations Wing Southern Luzon that conducted a maritime patrol on April 27, it was observed that the Shen Kuo was comparatively stationary in the area and had no personnel on the main deck.

“Several attempts to contact the vessel through regular radio channels were unsuccessful, indicating a lack of responsiveness or willingness to engage,” Trinidad said.

Balilo earlier said that in line with the ongoing Balikatan exercise, the Coast Guard would be providing perimeter security and has assigned six of their vessels to perform the task.

Joint MSAR proceeds

The Philippines, US and France conducted yesterday a joint Maritime Search and Rescue (MSAR) exercise in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) as part of Balikatan 2024’s MME.

Balikatan 2024 Combined Joint Information Bureau chief Lt. Col. John Paul Salgado said the collaboration among the AFP, the United States Indo-Pacific Command and the French Navy underscores the importance of multilateral partnerships in ensuring safety, security and operational readiness in the WPS. 

“These exercises not only strengthen the bonds between the participating nations but also demonstrate a shared commitment to regional stability and maritime safety,” Salgado said.

The participating naval ships for the MSAR include the Philippine Navy’s offshore patrol vessel BRP Ramon Alcaraz and landing dock BRP Davao del Sur, the US Navy’s landing ship dock USS Harpers Ferry, and the French Navy’s FS Vendemiaire, a Floreal-class frigate. 

Prior to the MSAR exercise, BRP Davao del Sur, acting as the Officer Conducting Serial, issued tactical commands to FS Vendemiaire and BRP Ramon Alcaraz for Division Tactics and Officer of the Watch Maneuver Exercise at Operational Box. 

Salgado said these exercises tested the ability of naval units to work together effectively, enhancing readiness for maritime search and rescue operations. — Evelyn Macairan