New Chinese research vessel monitored near Bajo de Masinloc

MANILA, June 19 ------ A day after the government confirmed the removal of a Chinese floating platform previously monitored inside Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal, a new Chinese research vessel has been observed operating near the area.

During a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) maritime domain awareness (MDA) flight on Thursday, authorities monitored a Chinese research vessel identified as Tong Ji, along with other Chinese maritime assets in and around the shoal. The Tong Ji is China’s first intelligent, ocean-class comprehensive scientific research vessel. It also serves as an advanced “floating campus” for Tongji University.

According to PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Rear Admiral Jay Tarriela, this is the first time the PCG has documented the vessel operating as close as 0.6 nautical miles from Bajo de Masinloc. “I really don’t know what is the intention of the Chinese government but it is worth highlighting that it appears that the new maritime assets the Chinese are deploying in Bajo de Masinloc are pretty much using the cover of marine scientific research (MSR),” Tarriela told reporters. “On the part of the Philippine government, we are not supporting such cover. It is an illegal MSR,” he added. “We have never allowed the Chinese government to deploy Chinese research vessels and conduct MSR within our exclusive economic zone (EEZ).”

The PCG also detected a Chinese research support vessel, two China Coast Guard ships, and three Chinese maritime militia vessels operating in the vicinity. Inside the shoal, several Chinese sampans or wooden fishing boats, as well as service boats, were also observed. The buoys and communications antenna previously installed by China also remain in place. “The floating barrier is once again put in place by the Chinese government to prevent anybody from entering the lagoon of Bajo de Masinloc,” Tarriela noted. “Itong apat na small boats sa loob ng Bajo de Masinloc—this only started when we first documented the platform. I’d like to believe that these boats, seemingly sampans, are pretty much related to those illegal MSR activities, still,” he further said.

The development comes just a day after authorities confirmed that a Chinese floating platform, which had been monitored inside the shoal for more than three weeks, had been removed. The Chinese research vessel that had been towing the platform was also no longer in the area. The Chinese Embassy in Manila earlier admitted that the structure was a temporary scientific research facility established by the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences. It described the platform as a “floating sampling and experimental station” used to study the reef ecosystem and support environmental protection efforts, adding that the “mission had been successfully completed.”

The National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) has reiterated that the Philippines maintains sovereignty and jurisdiction over Bajo de Masinloc, stressing that only Manila has the right to conduct activities and install structures in the area.

Source: news.abs-cbn.com