The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has challenged the presence of a Chinese Coast Guard vessel spotted within the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) off the coast of Zambales, intensifying maritime monitoring operations in the West Philippine Sea.
Using Canada’s Dark Vessel Detection Program, the PCG tracked CCG-4305 drifting approximately 48 nautical miles west of Pandaquit, Zambales, within Philippine waters.
Following confirmation of the vessel’s presence, PCG Commandant Ronnie Gil Gavan ordered the immediate deployment of air and sea assets to challenge and monitor the Chinese ship.
A Piper Navajo 302 aircraft conducted a maritime domain awareness flight over the area on Tuesday morning and visually confirmed the vessel at around 8:40 am, approximately 50.1 nautical miles west of Zambales.
According to the PCG, the aircraft repeatedly issued radio challenges to the Chinese vessel, but the crew of CCG-4305 allegedly ignored the calls and refused to acknowledge the warnings.
The aircraft also conducted several passes over the area to document what the PCG described as an unlawful incursion before returning to base.
At sea, BRP Cape San Agustin was dispatched to the location and continued issuing radio challenges throughout the day.
The PCG said the Chinese vessel briefly acknowledged an initial challenge before later going silent and refusing further communication.
Authorities noted that the Chinese ship failed to provide any legal justification for its presence within the Philippines’ EEZ.
The coast guard stressed that the continued presence of Chinese vessels near Zambales violates the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the Philippine Maritime Zones Act, and the 2016 arbitral ruling that invalidated China’s sweeping claims in the South China Sea.
In a statement, Gavan said the PCG remains committed to defending the country’s sovereign rights and jurisdiction through sustained patrols, aerial monitoring missions, and lawful maritime enforcement operations.
The latest incident comes amid continued tensions in the West Philippine Sea, where Philippine authorities have repeatedly protested the activities of Chinese vessels operating within areas claimed by Manila under international law.