MANILA — The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Thursday drove away the Chinese research vessel Jia Hai Ke 7 from waters off Itbayat, Batanes, following an hours-long operation to disrupt its illegal marine scientific research.
PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Rear Admiral Jay Tarriela said Jia Hai Ke 7 left the area at around noon and headed north, accompanied by China Coast Guard vessel 2503.
“As of 12:00 today, the Chinese research vessel already departed the area. It’s now moving north. So, I would like to again congratulate the brave men and women of BRP Teresa Magbanwa 9701 and the Coast Guard Islander, and, of course, the Commandant for taking such a patriotic act to challenge and disrupt this illegal MSR (marine scientific research),” Tarriela told reporters in an interview.
Jia Hai Ke 7 had been monitored inside the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ), around 37 nautical miles northwest of Itbayat, since Monday, September 28.
Tarriela said the BRP Teresa Magbanua arrived in the area around 7 a.m. on Thursday after being deployed by PCG Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan to directly challenge and disrupt the vessel’s activities.
The PCG vessel repeatedly challenged Jia Hai Ke 7 by radio, but the Chinese vessel did not respond.
“From this video, you can see how close the Philippine Coast Guard vessel was and that our crew kept on challenging the Chinese research vessel,” Tarriela said. “Despite our numerous radio challenges, it never responded to any of our radio challenges.”
The PCG then launched a rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB), which approached and repeatedly circled the research vessel.
Tarriela said the initial intention was to board Jia Hai Ke 7, which he described as a private vessel based on open-source information.
“This is what we’ve been doing this entire morning. We wanted to disrupt the Chinese research vessel’s activity and also to make sure we can drive it away,” the official said.
“Based from the open source, this is a private Chinese research vessel—meaning, if this is not a public vessel, then it doesn’t enjoy sovereign immunity,” he said.
Tarriela said the RHIB’s movements around the Chinese vessel were intended to interfere with whatever instruments it could have been using for its unauthorized activity.
“Again, the intent of this RHIB is not just to show force, but to disrupt whatever MSR that the Chinese are doing,” he added. “Whatever instrument they are drilling up surrounding the vessel, the propulsion of the rigid hull inflatable boat can disrupt the MSR that they are conducting.”
The PCG also deployed an Islander aircraft to support the BRP Teresa Magbanua in challenging and documenting the research vessel.
CHINA COAST GUARD ARRIVES
The operation drew the attention of the China Coast Guard, with CCG 2503 arriving in the area while the PCG was pursuing Jia Hai Ke 7.
“However, what is worth noting in this particular video is you can see that when the Chinese research vessel moved farther away from the position of the Philippine Coast Guard, the China Coast Guard 2503 has also arrived,” Tarriela said.
“It is seemingly protecting the Chinese research vessel, separating the Chinese research vessel from the Philippine Coast Guard,” he said.
According to Tarriela, the CCG ship reached Batanes quickly because it was deployed along Taiwan’s eastern seaboard.
“In just a matter of hours, we already saw a China Coast Guard approaching immediately the location of the BRP Teresa Magbanua,” he noted.
The official said the arrival of the Chinese law enforcement vessel was particularly significant because Jia Hai Ke 7 is described as a civilian, privately owned research vessel.
“The biggest difference here is that if you’re going to look at the open source data about the characteristics of this Chinese research vessel, it is a civilian research vessel, a private entity. It is not owned by the Chinese government,” he said.
Tarriela then cited the Chinese Embassy in Manila’s statement that the vessel “was operating in waters under China’s jurisdiction.”
“Yet, if you remember the statement of the Chinese embassy three days ago, they said that what they’re doing is within the jurisdiction of the Chinese government,” he said.
He added that the arrival of the CCG vessel raised questions about the extent of Beijing’s involvement in JI 7’s activities.
“If China is not really concerned with this Chinese research vessel, why would they even send a China Coast Guard vessel? It goes to show that this Chinese research vessel is not doing things on their own privately,” the official said.
“This must be sanctioned by the Chinese government. That makes it more troublesome,” he said.
Tarriela also expressed concern over the possible information that could have been obtained by the research vessel during its four days in the area, especially since it has the capability to investigate subsea cables.
“Imagine, a Chinese research vessel that is believed to be civilian and has the capability to cut our undersea cable is in Batanes for four days already,” Tarriela noted.
“What was the real objective of this Chinese research vessel that went to Batanes? That is something that the Chinese Embassy has to explain,” he added.
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