The Philippines has said China’s deployment of its largest coastguard vessel inside Manila’s exclusive maritime economic zone (EEZ) is alarming and clearly intended to intimidate fishermen operating around a shoal in the contested waters of the South China Sea.
Philippines National Security Council spokesperson Jonathan Malaya said on Tuesday that Manila has lodged a protest over the presence of the 165-metre (541ft) long Chinese coastguard vessel 5901, which was spotted 77 nautical miles (142km) off the coast of Zambales province, and demanded its withdrawal from the EEZ.
“We were surprised about the increasing aggression being showed by the People’s Republic of China in deploying the monster ship,” Malaya said.
“It is an escalation and provocative,” he said, saying the presence of the vessel was “illegal” and “unacceptable”.
The Philippine Coastguard said it had deployed two of its largest vessels to drive away the Chinese vessel.
The Philippines National Maritime Council also condemned on Monday the “illegal presence and operations” of “Chinese maritime forces and militia” within the country’s territorial waters and the EEZ, identifying two coastguard ships and a Chinese naval helicopter, which had “hovered above” a Philippines coastguard vessel.
“The escalatory actions of these Chinese vessels and aircraft clearly disregard Philippine and international laws,” the council said in a statement.
