MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Coast Guard deployed an aircraft to monitor and challenge a Chinese research vessel operating within the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) off the coast of Cagayan, the PCG confirmed yesterday.
PCG chief Adm. Ronnie Gil Gavan ordered the patrol mission on Thursday after reports of the Xiang Yang Hong 05 navigating approximately 37 nautical miles off Sta. Ana, Cagayan.
The aircraft, conducting a Maritime Domain Awareness flight, sighted the vessel at 14.92 nautical miles from Babuyan Island. A radio challenge was issued, but the vessel reportedly did not respond.
According to the PCG, the Xiang Yang Hong 05 departed from Guangdong province in China on June 5 and entered the Philippine EEZ on June 7, roughly 130 nautical miles off Burgos, Ilocos Norte. It left the area on June 9 but re-entered Philippine waters on July 31.
Tracking records showed the vessel conducted marine scientific research for nearly 22 days along a parallel route in the Pacific Ocean, approximately 42 nautical miles off Guam, before returning to the Philippine EEZ. As of Friday morning, it was located about 86 nautical miles from Calayan Island, Cagayan, based on Automatic Identification System data.
The Xiang Yang Hong 05, reportedly a former cargo vessel retrofitted for research purposes, is among several Chinese ships recently observed in or near Philippine maritime zones.
The PCG earlier reported the presence of three other Chinese research vessels – Bei Diao 996, Xiang Yang Hong 10 and Zhuhai Yun – in the West Philippine Sea.
The Bei Diao 996 was last detected 40 nautical miles west of Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal), while the Xiang Yang Hong 10 and Zhuhai Yun were located around 195 nautical miles off Rizal, Palawan, near Balagtas Reef.
All three vessels reportedly left different ports in Guangdong province in mid-June. The PCG said they were suspected of carrying out unauthorized marine scientific activities within the Philippine EEZ, prompting orders for interception and challenge.
The Xiang Yang Hong series has long been linked to China’s naval operations. Earlier vessels bearing the same name were reportedly involved in deep-sea research and ballistic missile tests in support of the People’s Liberation Army Navy dating back to the 1970s and 1980s.