
In an attempt to scare its smaller Asian neighbor, Manila’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the South China Sea is now home to China‘s largest coast guard vessel, according to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Saturday.
On July 2, a 165-meter “monster ship” of the China Coast Guard entered Manila’s 200-nautical-mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), according to PCG spokesman Jay Tarriela at a news forum.
According to him, the PCG questioned the Chinese vessel’s intentions and alerted it that it was in the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone.
Tarriela said that the China Coast Guard was intimidating her. “We will not back down and we will not yield to intimidation.”
A request for comment was not immediately answered by the Chinese foreign ministry or the Chinese embassy in Manila. No contact details for China’s coast guard are provided to the general public.
According to Tarriela, the Chinese ship was anchored 800 yards away from the PCG’s vessel and had also launched a small boat.
China contested the claim, therefore the PCG sent a ship to the Sabina Shoal in May to discourage small-scale reclamation. Washington and other localities are concerned about China’s massive land reclamation efforts on many South China Sea islands, where the country is also constructing air force and other military facilities.
The majority of the South China Sea, a vital route for the $3 trillion yearly shipborne trade, is claimed by China as its own territory. Beijing disagrees with the Permanent Court of Arbitration’s 2016 decision, which stated that its broad maritime claims lacked legal support. The court is located in The Hague.
China and the Philippines reached a consensus on Tuesday to “rebuild confidence” and “restore trust” in order to effectively handle maritime conflicts, following a high-level discussion.
Notwithstanding a rift with China over the routing of resupply missions to Filipino troops on a disputed shoal, the Philippines has declined offers from the United States, its treaty partner, to support operations in the South China Sea.