Chinese language analysis vessel Xiang Yang Hong 05 was first tracked roughly 37 nautical miles off Sta. Ana coast, prompting the Philippine Coast Guard to dispatch one in all its plane within the space on Saturday, August 2, 2025. — Picture from PCG
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has deployed an plane to the Luzon Strait within the northern high of the nation close to Batanes and Taiwan to watch and problem a Chinese language analysis vessel that has been noticed within the space.
The PCG stated Chinese language vessel Xiang Yang Hong 05 was first tracked roughly 68.5 kilometers (37 nautical miles) off Sta. Ana coast in Cagayan province, prompting it to dispatch one in all its plane to the world on Saturday.
“The PCG plane efficiently performed its [maritime domain awareness] flight yesterday afternoon and bodily sighted the Xiang Yang Hong 05 at a distance of 14.92 nautical miles (27.6 km) from Babuyan Island, [the main northernmost island in the island group also of that name]. The vessel was challenged by the PCG plane however didn’t reply,” the PCG disclosed in an announcement on Sunday.
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Luzon Strait is a vital passage that connects the Philippine Sea with the West Philippine Sea (WPS), however just isn’t a part of the territorial dispute between Manila and Beijing.
This physique of water between the nation’s northernmost province of Batanes and the self-governing island of Taiwan additionally contains Bashi Channel to the north, Balintang Channel within the middle, and Babuyan Channel to the south.
Entered EEZ
Primarily based on its information, the PCG stated Xiang Yang Hong 05 had beforehand left Guangdong province in China on June 5 en path to WPS.
It entered the nation’s unique financial zone (EEZ) two days afterward June 7. It was about 240.76 km (130 nautical miles) from Burgos, Ilocos Norte, at the moment, however left on June 9.
Previous to reentering the EEZ on July 31, the PCG stated Xiang Yang Hong 05 performed substantial marine scientific analysis for nearly 22 days.
“This analysis occurred alongside a parallel monitor within the Pacific Ocean, near Guam at a distance of 42 nautical miles (77.8 km),” it reported.
Newest PCG information confirmed that the Chinese language vessel was final noticed 159 km (86 nautical miles) from Calayan Island, Cagayan, based mostly on the automated identification system.
PH Sea, airspace
In Might this 12 months, the PCG reported monitoring three Chinese language analysis vessels inside the EEZ. These are the Xiang Yang Hong 302, Tan Sou Er Hao, and the Zhong Shan Da Xue.
Chinese language presence has additionally been noticed repeatedly in Philippine airspace.
Beijing’s continued incursions in maritime areas past its coasts relies on its assertion of sovereignty over nearly the complete South China Sea, together with a lot of the West Philippine Sea, because it continues to reject the 2016 arbitral ruling that successfully dismissed its claims and dominated in favor of Manila following its 2013 arbitral case in opposition to Beijing.
In April additionally this 12 months, the Chinese language plane provider Shandong (CV-17) was noticed close to Babuyan Islands.
In a message to the Philippine Information Company, Philippine Navy spokesperson for WPS Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad stated the Shandong was first detected within the early hours of April 22 some 187.6 km (101.3 nautical miles) off Burgos, Ilocos Norte.
It was noticed just a few hours later at round 4 km—or 2.23 nautical miles—southwest of Babuyan Island, nicely inside the Philippines’ archipelagic waters. Its confirmed place as of April 23 was 332.6 km (179.6 nautical miles) east of Patunungan, Sta. Ana, Cagayan.
Shandong
The Shandong is described as a “quick take off, barrier arrested restoration” plane provider of round 60,000 tons with a high pace of 31 knots. The ship measures 305 meters and has a beam of 75 meters. It’s able to carrying 30 plane.
In July 2024, the Shandong additionally handed by means of the Balintang Channel on its method to drills within the West Pacific. Its motion was additionally reported by the Taiwanese protection ministry, which stated it had detected 36 Chinese language army plane heading in the identical path to hitch the Shandong. /cb —with a report from Inquirer Analysis
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