Embassy defends increase of China's research vessels in Philippine waters

MANILA, Philippines — The Chinese Embassy in Manila is justifying Beijing's increased deployment of research vessels within the Philippines' jurisdictional waters by repeating its claim of sovereignty over the Spratlys Island anew.

"China has sovereignty over Nansha Islands and its adjacent waters and sovereign rights and jurisdiction over relevant waters," the Chinese Embassy in Manila said Tuesday, August 5, using Beijing's name for the Spratlys. "It is legitimate and lawful for relevant Chinese vessels to carry out normal activities in waters under China's jurisdiction." 

The embassy was responding to a question that sought its comment on the PCG's report of a sharp increase in Chinese research vessel activity within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone (EEZ) since the start of the year. 

Yesterday, PCG Spokesperson Jay Tarriela said the "significant increase" in Chinese research vessels' presence was already alarming for the Coast Guard. 

The PCG has so far documented around 20 to 22 Chinese research ships entering the Philippines' jurisdictional waters in 2025 - roughly three to four vessels monthly compared to much lower numbers in previous years, Tarriela said in a televised interview.

On Sunday, the PCG confirmed that it had sent an aircraft to challenge the Chinese research vessel Xiang Yang Hong 05, which was seen by the patrolling aircraft some 15 nautical miles from Babuyan Island off Cagayan province. 
However, the Chinese vessel had ignored its radio challenges.

The ship had spent 22 days conducting marine research in the Pacific Ocean, approaching within 42 nautical miles of Guam before re-entering Philippine waters on July 31. It departed Sunday evening after being driven away by the Coast Guard aircraft.

This comes after the PCG already monitored three other Chinese research vessels in the West Philippine Sea, namely Bei Diao 996, Xiang Yang Hong 10 and Zhuhai Yun.

Why is this significant? Tarriela earlier pointed out that these are highly advanced research vessels.

For instance, Bei Diao 996 is a dual-use research vessel capable of testing underwater acoustic sensors and sonar equipment. Meanwhile, Xiang Yang Hong 10 is a multi-purpose research vessel that can carry out deep-sea surveys and supporting unmanned autonomous underwater vehicles. 

Zhuhai Yun, Tarriela said, is the "world's first intelligent unmanned drone carrier" and is designed for oceanographic research but has significant military dual-use potential, including mapping submarine routes and deploying smart mines.

The Chinese embassy, in its statement, dismissed the tensions that have resulted from its research vessels' presence inside the Philippines' EEZ, saying confrontation "leads us nowhere" and that "only through dialogue and negotiation can we find a way out."   

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.