China Coast Guard 5901, or the "Monster Ship," off the coast of Zambales on January 5, 2025. Handout/Philippine Coast Guard

BRP Cabra Maintains vigilant monitoring of Chinese Coast Guard Monster Ship near Zambales  on January 5, 2025.
Courtesy: PCG

BRP CABRA- CCG

Harlene Delgado

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/173692663477820250105-brp-cabra-chinese-coast-guard-PCG5.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="China Coast Guard 5901, or the &quot;Monster Ship,&quot; off the coast of Zambales on January 5, 2025. Handout/Philippine Coast Guard"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">China Coast Guard 5901, or the &quot;Monster Ship,&quot; off the coast of Zambales on January 5, 2025. <em>Handout/Philippine Coast Guard</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA -- Several concerns in the West Philippines Sea are expected to be raised in the upcoming Bilateral Consultation Mechanism (BCM) between the Philippines and China on Thursday, January 16.</p><p>Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo said the meeting will discuss the recent developments in the region.</p><p>Manalo did not explicitly affirm if the issues to be raised include China&#x27;s &quot;monster ship&quot; near Zambales.</p><p>However, he said ongoing developments in the South China Sea and West Philippine Sea are usually discussed in the meeting.</p><p>&quot;Those are what is normally discussed in the bilateral consultation, especially recent developments or ongoing developments. But as I said, I am not there at the moment. So let&#x27;s just wait for the results of the meeting,&quot; he told reporters in an ambush interview on the sidelines of his bilateral meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Iwaya Takeshi during his official visit to the Philippines on Wednesday.</p><p>When asked if the Philippines will demand China to pull out its &quot;monster ship&quot;, Manalo said the Philippines &quot;will certainly raise the concerns we have.&quot;</p><p>The &quot;monster ship,&quot; or China Coast Guard vessel 5901, was located 77 nautical miles west of Capones Island in Zambales on Tuesday morning.</p><p>The Philippines has called China&#x27;s deployment of its largest coast guard vessel inside the Philippines&#x27; exclusive economic zone a &quot;provocative act.&quot; </p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/1/14/philippines-tells-china-to-withdraw-monster-ship-near-zambales-1509">READ: Philippines tells China to withdraw monster ship near Zambales</a></div><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/1/15/pcg-monster-ship-closest-deployment-yet-by-china-to-ph-shore-1304">READ: &#x27;Monster ship&#x27; closest deployment yet by China to PH coastline -- PCG</a></div><p>Aside from pressing issues, the DFA chief noted that other areas of cooperation are also expected to be tackled including possible cooperation between the coast guards of the Philippines and China.</p><p>&quot;Well, we hope to establish means of cooperation and undertaking, let&#x27;s say, positive activities. But that will have to be agreed in any memorandum of understanding between the two. But it&#x27;s cooperative in nature, of course,&quot; Manalo added.</p><p>Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro and her delegation are now in Xiamen for preliminary talks today and for the consultative meeting on Thursday with her counterpart, Vice Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nZnhGuf5kDw?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Several concerns in the West Philippines Sea are expected to be raised in the upcoming Bilateral Consultation Mechanism (BCM) between the Philippines and China on Thursday, January 16.</p>

Several concerns in the West Philippines Sea are expected to be raised in the upcoming Bilateral Consultation Mechanism (BCM) between the Philippines and China on Thursday, January 16.

West PH Sea concerns to be raised in China-PH bilateral meeting: Manalo | ABS-CBN

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West PH Sea concerns to be raised in China-PH bilateral meeting: Manalo

West PH Sea concerns to be raised in China-PH bilateral meeting: Manalo

Harlene Delgado,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jan 15, 2025 03:43 PM PHT

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Philippines

China

West Philippine Sea

Bilateral Consultation Mechanism

Department of Foreign Affairs

DFA

Enrique Manalo

China Coast Guard

Zambales

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