PCG: Chinese ships continue encroaching in West Philippine Sea

MANILA, Philippines, December 1 ------ China Coast Guard (CCG) ships continued to intrude the West Philippine Sea near the coast of Zambales, according to the Philippine Coast Guard.

PCG’s patrol vessel BRP Cabra issued radio challenges to a CCG ship 88 nautical miles from Palauig Point in Zambales, according to a video shared to journalists by Commodore Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesman on WPS issues. “The PCG has repeatedly asserted that the presence of these Chinese Coast Guard vessels constitutes an illegal incursion into Philippine sovereign waters, in clear violation of the Philippine Maritime Zones Act, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 2016 Arbitral Award that invalidated China’s excessive maritime claims in the West Philippine Sea,” Tarriela wrote in a statement.

Since Nov. 23, PCG has also been shadowing two CCG ships through BRP Cabra and BRP Teresa Magbanua. “The PCG will not tolerate any attempt to unilaterally alter the status quo along the Luzon coastline through encroachment. BRP Cabra’s sustained presence demonstrates our resolute commitment to upholding international law while pursuing peaceful and rules-based solutions,” Tarriela said.

Meanwhile, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) carried out the 3rd Philippines-Japan Bilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity (MCA) in WPS on Saturday, continuing the steady growth of defense cooperation between the two countries. The AFP deployed BRP Antonio Luna, a PN AW159, along with Philippine Air Force’s C-208B surveillance aircraft. The JMSDF participated with the JS Harusame and an SH-60K helicopter.

Both forces carried out a series of interoperability activities, including Division Tactics/Officer of the Watch Maneuver, where participating ships practiced coordinated movements and station-keeping and a PHOTOEX, which involved maintaining precise formation for documentation of the activity. A cross-deck landing exercise was also conducted to familiarize helicopter crews and ship personnel with each other’s deck procedures and enhance coordination in aviation operations.

The activity was conducted a day after the Philippines–France MCA on Friday in the southern portion of Eastern Mindanao.

Source: philstar.com