MANILA — The Philippine Coast Guard on Wednesday confirmed the presence of a Chinese research vessel inside the country’s archipelagic waters, prompting them to deploy an aircraft to challenge it.

Chinese research ship namataan malapit sa Palawan at Occ. Mindoro

As of 8 a.m. on April 2, China’s fisheries research vessel Song Hang was monitored 58 nautical miles east of Aborlan, Palawan. 

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is monitoring a Chinese research vessel, Song Hang, transiting through Philippine archipelagic waters en route to the Celebes Sea. Facebook/PCG

Commodore Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, said a PCG aircraft has been deployed to challenge the presence of the Chinese vessel.

PH Navy confirms passage of Chinese research ship near Palawan

“As we monitor the presence of this Chinese research vessel, we are challenging them that they are not authorized in this area to do scientific research and that they are advised to leave the area immediately,” the PCG official said during the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum.

Under the Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act, research ships and aircraft need prior permission from the Philippine government to conduct "oceanographic or hydrographic surveys or any other research or survey activities, whether with the use of detection equipment or sample gathering equipment."

The Chinese ship has yet to respond to the radio challenges, Tarriela added. 

In a separate statement on Facebook, PCG said the Chinese research ship was "transiting through Philippine archipelagic waters en route to the Celebes Sea."

"While the vessel is entitled to the right of innocent passage in accordance with the UNCLOS, the PCG is closely monitoring the vessel’s movement to ensure compliance with all relevant domestic and international maritime regulations and to safeguard the country’s maritime interests," it said.

Ray Powell, SeaLight director at the Stanford University’s Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation, first monitored Song Hang on Tuesday noon.

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“Chinese fisheries research vessel Song Hang is now transiting the Philippines’ archipelagic waters on its way south toward the Celebes Sea,” Powell, a former US military officer, said in a post on X. 

According to Powell’s data, the 85-meter vessel departed from Shanghai, China on March 26.

Song Hang is owned and operated by the Shanghai Ocean University.

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