Philippines halts scientific mission in South China Sea amid Chinese harassment

The Philippines on January 24 suspended a marine scientific survey in the contested South China Sea after Chinese navy and coast guard vessels, along with aircraft, harassed its research team.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported on January 25 that Chinese forces interfered with Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessels heading to Sandy Cay near Thitu Island in the West Philippine Sea.

PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, Commodore Jay Tarriela, said that BFAR vessels BRP Datu Pagbuaya and BRP Datu Bankaw were on a mission to conduct a marine scientific survey and collect sand samples at Sandy Cays 2 and 3 when they were harassed by Chinese forces.

Tarriela said that three Chinese coast guard ships and four smaller boats made “aggressive maneuvers” toward the BFAR ships and their inflatable boats. A People’s Liberation Army-Navy (PLAN) helicopter, identified by tail number 24, hovered dangerously close to the BFAR’s rigid hull inflatable boats (RHIBs), creating hazardous conditions.

“During the mission, the BFAR vessels encountered aggressive maneuvers from three Chinese Coast Guard vessels 4106, 5103, and 4202, which exhibited blatant disregard for the Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1972 (COLREGs),” Tarriela said.

“Fortunately, the skilled seamanship of the BFAR crew prevented any potential accidents during these dangerous confrontations,” he added.

The harassment forced the BFAR and PCG to suspend the survey. “As a result of this continuous harassment and the disregard for safety exhibited by the Chinese maritime forces, BFAR and PCG regrettably suspended their survey operations and were unable to collect sand samples at Sandy Cays,” Tarriela said.

Chinese Coast Guard boats and a People’s Liberation Army-Navy helicopter harassed the Philippines’ Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources rigid-hull inflatable boats transporting personnel to Sandy Cay for a scientific survey on January 24, 2025. 

Escalating tensions

After the incident, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said it would file a diplomatic protest against China. 

DFA’s undersecretary, Eduardo de Vega, emphasized the importance of asserting Philippine sovereignty: “It’s just not a matter of telling China ‘Don’t do it,’ but always asserting our sovereign rights.”

Meanwhile, the China Coast Guard, in a statement, reiterated its claim of “indisputable sovereignty” over the Spratly Islands, including Sandy Cay, which it calls Tiexian Reef.

The Chinese authorities accused the Philippine vessels of entering Chinese waters and attempting to collect sand samples without permission.

China continues to assert its claim over nearly the entire South China Sea, despite an international arbitration ruling in 2016 that invalidated its “nine-dash line” claim.

Philippines pushes back

The Philippine government has taken a more assertive stance against China’s maritime activities by strengthening alliances with the United States, Japan, Australia, and the European Union.

On January 24, the Philippines successfully resupplied troops on the BRP Sierra Madre, a grounded vessel at Second Thomas Shoal, without interference from China.

However, tensions remain high. Tarriela also reported January 25 that the Chinese coast guard deployed a Long Range Acoustic Device (LRAD) against a Philippine Coast Guard ship, BRP Cabra, in an attempt to intimidate it.

“For the first time, CCG-3103 employed a Long Range Acoustic Device (LRAD) to harass the Philippine Coast Guard vessel, attempting to deter proximity,” he said.

“The LRAD has been described by crew members as producing high decibel levels that can be painful and damaging to hearing,” said Tarriela, adding that a Chinese “monster ship”, CCG 5901, appeared to be escorting other vessels in Philippine waters.

But the PCG vessel’s BRP Cabra continued to assert Philippine sovereignty by trying to prevent CCG vessels from nearing the Zambales coastline and issuing hourly radio challenges. On January 25, the PCG said: “Chinese Coast Guard has been pushed back to a position between 90 to 95 nautical miles from the shore.”

Calls for adherence to international law

On January 26, Tarriela condemned China for imposing a “new order” in Philippine waters, accusing it of undermining international maritime rules.

The PCG spokesman strongly criticized China’s maritime actions, calling them a blatant violation of international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 2016 Arbitral Award.

“Without needing to emphasize the key points of the 2016 Arbitral Award, which invalidated their nine-dash line claim, it’s evident that anyone with a sound mind, genuinely concerned about preserving peace and stability in the region, would acknowledge that their presence in the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone is both barbaric and illegitimate,” Tarriela said in his X post on January 26.

“It is clear that the Chinese Communist Party is disregarding international law while arrogantly asserting jurisdiction over these waters, which are well beyond the People’s Republic of China’s baseline,” he added.

Tarriela also condemned China’s actions: “Furthermore, their threats against the legitimate presence of the Philippines conducting maritime patrols — warning that if we do not leave, they will take necessary measures and we will bear the consequences — clearly indicate China’s desire to impose a new order that undermines the rules-based international system.”

Tarriela lamented that China’s incursions into Philippine waters escalate tensions and threaten regional peace and stability.

“They appear intent on reverting to a system where might dictates what is deemed right, allowing powerful countries to impose their interests at the expense of others’ rights and jurisdictions,” he said.

As Beijing continues its incursions into Philippine waters, Manila vows to remain steadfast in defending its sovereignty and maritime rights.

Both the PCG and BFAR have emphasized their commitment to ensuring the safety of their personnel while pursuing scientific research and resource management in the West Philippine Sea.

All photos credit: Philippine Coast Guard

Top photo: Chinese coast guards.

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