The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) called on the international community to take a stand against China’s escalating maritime aggression in the West Philippine Sea (PWS), warning that unchecked actions by Beijing could embolden further territorial encroachments in Southeast Asia.
In a statement released Sunday, PCG Spokesperson for WPS Commodore Jay Tarriela emphasized the importance of exposing China’s unlawful deployments within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ) to prevent Beijing from normalizing its activities and altering the status quo.
“This is why it is important for the Philippine Coast Guard to actively expose these unlawful deployments of Chinese vessels to the global community, ensuring that such actions are not normalized and that this bullying behavior does not succeed,” he said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
The PCG reported on Saturday that CCG 5901, China’s mammoth vessel was back in Luzon, replacing another vessel that was also previously confronted by the Philippines’ BRP Teresa Magbanua. The CCG has been taking turns loitering in the Philippine EEZ for two weeks now.
“Their goal is to normalize such deployments, and if these actions go unnoticed and unchallenged, it will enable them to alter the existing status quo,” Tarriela said, adding this strategy “has consistently been part of the Chinese playbook.”
The massive 165-meter, 12,000-ton vessel nicknamed ‘The Monster’ was recently spotted 97 nautical miles off the coast of Zambales. Despite its size, the PCG said BRP Teresa Magbanua blocked it from moving closer to Philippine shores.
Tarriela cautioned that China’s aggressive maneuvers are not just a threat to the Philippines but also to other nations with claims in the vast international waters such as Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
Malacañang also earlier expressed its concern over China’s continuing saber-rattling moves in the WPS, reiterating its commitment to protecting the country’s territorial integrity.
The PCG underscored the need for collective action to deter China’s provocations, stating that a united global front is crucial to upholding international maritime law and ensuring the sovereignty of nations in the region.
