MANILA – China’s multi-purpose oceanographic research vessel Ke Xue San Hao has remained near Escoda Shoal, navigating in a zigzag pattern that appears to be dubious, the Philippine Navy said on Tuesday.

Latest monitoring showed that Ke Xue San Hao was at around 20 nautical miles south of Escoda, as of Tuesday morning, with the Philippine side continuously challenging its presence, according to Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, Philippine Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea.

“A zigzag pattern or track indicates something else,” he said. 

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Escoda is a tiny reef, just around 70 nautical miles from Palawan island. The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) earlier reported suspected reclamation attempts allegedly by China in the area, which prompted the prolonged deployment of BRP Teresa Magbanua there since mid-April. 

Trinidad said the foreign vessel’s presence in Philippine waters could no longer be considered as innocent passage, as allowed by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. 

Data from the Dark Vessel Detection Program indicates that the vessel departed from China’s military base in Panganiban Reef (Mischief Reef) on July 26 and has since passed through several critical locations, including Ayungin Shoal, Raja Soliman Shoal, Bulig Shoal, Hasa-Hasa Shoal, Abad Santos Shoal, and eventually reached Escoda.

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PCG

“’Pag nagsi-zigzag na, may ginagawa kang ibang bagay. Kumbaga sa barangay natin, kapag ang tao paali-aigid, may masamang intensyon iyon. Kung napadaan ka lang, [dapat] tuloy-tuloy ka lang,” Trindiad said. 

“It is not normal for a ship to be there and her track is not continuous and expeditious,” he added.

The Ke Xue San Hao, designed by the Marine Design and Research Institute of China and constructed by Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry Co., is equipped with advanced technology that enables comprehensive marine environment observation, detection, sampling, and analysis, according to PCG’s Commodore Jay Tarriela. 

The same vessel conducted surveys in the resource-rich Philippine Rise in several previous instances. 

China research ship Ke Xue San Hao. PCG

China’s massive coast guard ship, dubbed The Monster, has also been in the Escoda since early July. 

“We’re watching them, they’re watching us,” Trinidad said. 

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Trinidad said Manila can only monitor the presence of the foreign ships in the West Philippine Sea, but the Philippine Navy, the PCG and the Department of Foreign Affairs are now in close coordination with regards to the Chinese research vessel.

“We don’t want to escalate the situation,” he said.

China has reclaimed at least 300 hectares in the South China, including Panganiban Reef and Johnson South Reef (Mabini Reef) in the West Philippine Sea, according to Trinidad. 

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