Philippine lawmakers call for more sea patrols to keep out Chinese research vessels

Name: Chinese floating barrier blocks entrance to Philippine ships at South China Sea flashpoint
Uploaded: 2024-05-07T11:34:02.000Z
Duration: 1 min 49 s
Description: Chinese floating barrier blocks entrance to Philippine ships at South China Sea flashpoint

Manila’s ability to police its waters is determined by maritime capacity, not political will, so more investment in the navy is required, an analyst says

Sightings of unauthorised Chinese research vessels in Philippine waters are not unprecedented

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Chinese coast guard vessels fire water cannons at a Philippine resupply vessel Unaizah May 4 in the South China Sea. Photo: Reuters

Jeoffrey Maitem

Published: 7:34pm, 7 May 2024Updated: 7:36pm, 7 May 2024

The sighting of an unauthorised Chinese research vessel in the eastern seaboard of the Philippines has raised alarm and prompted lawmakers to call for increased patrols in the area, as well as speculation that the vessel’s presence could be laying the groundwork for future submarine operations by Beijing.

Erwin Tulfo, the deputy majority leader in the House of Representatives, filed a resolution on Monday urging the central government to strengthen its routine patrols in the country’s eastern seaboard to prevent more Chinese research vessels from illegally entering Philippine territory, stressing the need for immediate action.

“It seems Chinese vessels can freely enter and stay whatever time it is over our waters,” he warned lawmakers.

“This is a sign that they are preparing to occupy the eastern part of the Philippines just like how they occupied the entire West Philippine Sea,” he said, using Manila’s term for the parts of the South China Sea that lie within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.

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Chinese floating barrier blocks entrance to Philippine ships at South China Sea flashpoint

Philippine authorities said a Chinese research vessel was seen near Catanduanes, an island on the northeastern edge of the Philippine archipelago, on April 28.

The same vessel was also spotted last Wednesday in Basco, Batanes, the country’s northernmost province and its closest to Taiwan.