PCG vessel thwarts Chinese ship approaching Zambales coastline

MANILA, Philippines — A Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessel has prevented a Chinese ship from approaching the Zambales coastline.

In a report on Tuesday night, the agency said BRP Cabra deterred Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) vessel 3304 from nearing the province.

“Despite its smaller size, the BRP Cabra has effectively maintained a distance of 78 to 85 nautical miles between the Chinese vessel and the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ),” the PCG said.

READ: Chinese coast guard lingers off Zambales, Occidental Mindoro

Moreover, the PCG said that its vessel also “confronted Lan Hai 101, one of China’s two largest fisheries research ships,” which was operating approximately 25 nautical miles off the coast of Pangasinan.

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“The BRP Cabra has asserted that the activities of the Chinese vessel fall within the Philippines’ EEZ, constituting violations of the Philippine Maritime Zones Act, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and the 2016 Arbitral Award,” the agency added.

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“The PCG remains resolute in its commitment to addressing the unlawful presence of Chinese maritime forces. We will not allow any alterations to the status quo through encroachment on Luzon’s coastline,” it further said.

The Lan Hai 101 was spotted within the country’s archipelagic waters on Monday.

Beijing’s continued aggression was based on its assertion of sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, including most of the West Philippine Sea, as it continues to reject the 2016 arbitral ruling that effectively dismissed its claims and ruled in favor of Manila.