A Chinese research vessel has been spotted recently in the Recto Bank (Reed Bank) in mid August. This comes days after it allegedly explored reefs and shoals in the west of Palawan. Retired US. Air Force officer Ray Powell, director of Maritime Transparency Initiative SeaLight, said China’s 74-meter-long ship Ke Xue San Hao entered the southern part of Recto Bank at 10.30 pm on August 15.
“When you are navigating in a zigzag pattern, it means you are doing something else. In our community, if a person is acting erratically, it usually means they have bad intentions. If you are just passing by, you should keep moving straight ahead,” said Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, the Philippine Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea on ABS-CBN News.
The vessel came from the Panganiban Reef (Mischief Reef) on July 26 where one of China’s military bases is located. It passed through Ayungin Shoal, Raja Soliman Shoal, Bulig Shoal, Hasa-Hasa Shoal, Abad Santos Shoal, and Escoda Shoal. Trinidad added the Philippine Navy, the Philippine Coast Guard and the Department of Foreign Affairs are closely coordinating on this matter.
The Ke Xue San Hao, equipped with advanced technology enabling comprehensive marine environment observation, detection, sampling, and analysis, has previously conducted surveys on the Benham Rise (Philippine Rise).
Situated 85 nautical miles from Palawan, the Recto Bank is an underwater reef formation believed to contain huge reserves of oil and natural gas. Despite its location within the Philippines Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), Manila has not been able to exploit Recto Bank’s resources due to an ongoing territorial dispute with Beijing.
A United States Energy Information Administration report in 2013 showed that the Recto Bank could hold up to 5.4 billion barrels of oil and 55.1 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.
Increasing maritime patrol
In an exclusive interview with Maritime Fairtrade, the National Security Council’s assistant director general Jonathan Malaya said the government has increased its presence in monitoring the West Philippine Sea. However, the problem is the area is too vast and the Philippines has one of the longest coastlines in the world.
“It is really difficult for us to maintain a constant presence in the same manner as China because they have vastly more resources than we do. So, what we are doing is we are increasing maritime domain awareness (MDA), because everything begins with MDA as a guide. So, it is a good thing that other countries are helping us and now we have a clearer picture of the intrusions into our EEZ,” Malaya said.
“The National Security Adviser Eduardo Ano has given specific instructions to the Philippine Coast Guard and others, to maintain a rotational presence in Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal) so we can monitor the fishermen and deter the Chinese from ruining the marine environment and what they have already ruined,” Malaya added.
Currently, the fishermen are only situated in the lagoon since they cannot go inside due to the standoff in the time of being with China who are holding the area. They are only allowed to fish outside the lagoon.
Malaya said: “As to other areas of the seas, we have long-term deployments in the Escoda Shoal (Sabina Shoal) because we have been observing China to possibly to reclaim again, or to destroy the environment. So, we have deployed the BRP Teresa Magbanua (MRRV-9701), she is there for extended deployment, and while the Chinese are there we are also there.
“Then we continue to do maritime surveys, together with the UP Marine Science Institute and other partners from the scientific community to document what is happening in the Rozul Reef, PAG-ASA reef and others.”
Vietnam and China’s Dredging and Landfill Activities in the West Philippine Sea
In June, Vietnam increased its dredging and landfill work in the West Philippine Sea. The Washington-based think tank Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative said they have significantly accelerated the expansion of artificial islands over the last six months, and created as much land as in the last two years combined.
Vietnam now has 692 new acres of land across a total of 10 features, compared to 404 acres created in the first 11 months of 2023 and 342 acres in 2022. This brings the total of Vietnam’s overall dredging and landfill in the disputed area to approximately 2,360 acres — roughly half of China’s 4,650 acres.
China’s big three outposts including the Mischief, Subi, and Fiery Cross reefs remain the largest, while the next four largest outposts are all newly expanded Vietnamese reefs.
Vietnam also constructed a 1,300-meter runway airstrip, and is completing a boat ramp on Namyit Island and a new harbor at Central Reef. Trenches and coastal defense emplacements are seen underway as well as temporary helipads in Discovery Great Reef, Ladd Reef, Tennent Reef, and South Reef.
On the other hand, China has destroyed over 6,200 acres of coral reefs due to its island-building efforts. Giant clam harvesting by Chinese fishers has damaged an additional 16,353 acres of coral reef while fish stocks are overexploited.
A call to action
In April, Senator Risa Hontiveros expressed concerns about the use of mined and dredged materials in the Chinese island-building initiatives in the West Philippine Sea. The senator proposed Senate Resolution No. 989 which urges the Senate to conduct an inquiry.
“We must not allow our precious natural resources to be exploited at the expense of our people and environment,” Hontiveros said in a press statement.
According to Atty. Gloria Estenzo Ramos, Oceana’s vice president, the senators’ call for China to pay for environmental damage in the West Philippine Sea underscores the importance of environmental stewardship and sustainable development in the region.
Ramos said to Maritime Fairtrade: “It seeks to address the long-term impacts of militarization and overfishing on marine ecosystems and coastal communities while advocating for accountability and responsible behavior on an international scale. It raises international pressure and awareness and can be a catalyst for cooperation for environmental protection in the area.
“The funds, when or if claimed by the Philippines, can help secure better security for the areas under the Philippines and can also be used for rehabilitation of the damaged coral reefs.”
Ramos said declaring parts of the sea as Marine Protected Areas (MPA) is critical to conserve marine biodiversity, sustainable fisheries, and promoting resilience to climate change of the marine ecosystems.
“MPAs are living laboratories for scientific research and also support environmental education and awareness among locals and visitors. If well managed, they have the potential to be ecotourism sites for diving, and wildlife watching among others.
“Protecting the West Philippine Sea through MPA demonstrates a commitment to international conservation goals and responsible stewardship of shared marine resources. It sets a precedent for collaboration among countries to address global challenges like overfishing and habitat degradation. Establishing MPA in the West Philippine Sea benefits not only Filipinos but also the entire world.”
Photo credit: iStock/ Ian Waldraff. A fishing boat with Vietnamese flag off Con Dao in South China Sea.
