Philippines challenges Chinese vessel off northern province amid Taiwan tensions
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Taiwan said on Dec 29 it has detected four Chinese coastguard ships near the democratic island's waters, as Beijing announced the start of live-fire drills.
PHOTO: AFP
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MANILA – The Philippines Coast Guard said it deployed an aircraft on Dec 30 to challenge a Chinese research ship that serves as a base for submersible vessels after it was spotted about 19 nautical miles off the coast of the northern Cagayan province.
The pilot issued multiple radio challenges to the CRV Tan Suo Er Hao seeking to confirm whether it was conducting marine research without Manila’s consent, which would violate Philippine and international law, but received no response, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said in a statement.
The 87.25m deep-sea research vessel, which left China’s Hainan province earlier in December and entered the western part of the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone, was then monitored heading east about 55.8 nautical miles off Santa Ana, Cagayan, the PCG said.
Cagayan, the northernmost province of Luzon near Taiwan, hosts one of nine military bases accessible to US forces under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).
On Dec 30, China staged war games around Taiwan, firing rockets into surrounding waters
The PCG said the Chinese research vessel was detected through Canada’s satellite-based Dark Vessel Detection system.
The Chinese Embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment. REUTERS
