China ‘monster’ ship intrudes Philippine waters

MANILA, Philippines — China’s biggest coast guard ship is in the vicinity of Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal off Zambales, the Philippine Navy confirmed yesterday, even as it continues checking alleged sightings of a pipeline in the land feature purportedly laid down by the Chinese.

Commodore Roy Vincent Trinidad, Philippine Navy spokesman for the West Philippine Sea (WPS), said the unnamed vessel was last sighted some 50 nautical miles from Panatag or Scarborough Shoal, also called Bajo de Masinloc.

The Navy official did not reveal other details of the Chinese vessel.

But in a post on X, Ray Powell, director of SeaLight, said the Chinese ship seen near Panatag yesterday was actually the world’s largest coast guard ship – 165 meters long with bow number 5901.

He also said on X that a smaller CCG ship with bow number 5203 was also in the vicinity. They were last spotted in the area at about 5:15 a.m., he said.

The sighting of the largest CCG ship dubbed “the Monster” came days after Beijing announced the issuance of a maritime regulation allowing its coast guard to pick up and detain for 60 days without trial any foreigner found trespassing in Chinese territorial waters. China considers almost the entire South China Sea its territory.

While the ship’s activities were being monitored, Trinidad stressed it’s up to the National Task Force (NTF) on WPS to decide which course of action to take next.

“It’s a Chinese Coast Guard ship and there will be appropriate response from the NTF, coast guard, Philippine Coast Guard,” he told reporters.

Trinidad also said the Philippine Navy is still verifying reports of pipe-laying work on Panatag Shoal by the Chinese.

“We are treating the initial report as unverified or unsubstantiated. We checked and we’re still trying to find other corroborating reports on that matter,” he said.

“So far, the report has been on its own, it’s still unverified or unsubstantiated. Unsubstantiated, unverified report, that’s how we think (of it) as of now,” Trinidad pointed out.

Just days after China’s warning of more restrictions in the West Philippine Sea, Filipino fishermen said harassment by the Chinese had gotten worse, based on testimonies from