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Chinese flags wave with Philippine flags along Roxas Boulevard in Manila on November 19, ahead of Chinese president Xi Jinping's state visit in the country. Xi will be visiting the country from November 20 to 21. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File



Article (news)

Chinese flags wave with Philippine flags 


Bianca Dava

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela on Friday pushed back against statements made by Chinese Embassy in Manila Deputy Spokesperson Guo Wei, saying Beijing’s narrative distorted facts surrounding the presence of a Chinese research vessel in waters off northern Luzon.</p><p>In a statement, Tarriela said Guo’s comments mischaracterized the PCG’s actions and selectively invoked international law to justify China’s activities in the South China Sea.</p><p>“First, I never claimed that your Chinese research vessel ‘trespassed.’ As clearly stated in our press release and posts, the Philippine Coast Guard deployed an aircraft for a Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) flight to challenge the vessel&#x27;s presence, verify if it was conducting marine scientific research without consent, and assert the Philippines&#x27; sovereign rights within its Exclusive Economic Zone—all in line with UNCLOS and our domestic laws,” the official stressed.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/12/31/ph-deeply-concerned-by-china-s-drills-around-taiwan-1646">PH &#x27;deeply concerned&#x27; by China&#x27;s drills around Taiwan</a></div><p>Tarriela accused Beijing of being “disingenuous” in citing UNCLOS protections on innocent passage while ignoring provisions that contradict China’s “excessive and unsubstantiated claims” in the South China Sea.</p><p>He also rejected Beijing’s denial that Chinese vessels have conducted marine scientific research in other countries’ EEZs without authorization.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>CHINESE RESEARCH VESSEL</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>The PCG on Tuesday said that it had detected the Chinese research vessel Tan Suo Er Hao operating near waters off Cagayan province.</p><p>Using Canada’s Dark Vessel Detection program, the PCG monitored the ship as it approached within 19 nautical miles from the coast.</p><p>PCG Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan ordered the deployment of an Islander aircraft to conduct an MDA flight over the area.</p><p>“The operation aimed to challenge the vessel’s presence, verify whether it was conducting marine scientific research without prior consent from the Philippine government—in potential violation of the Philippine Maritime Zones Act and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)—and to assert the Philippines’ sovereign rights within its EEZ,” Tarriela said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/12/31/pcg-challenges-chinese-research-vessel-operating-near-cagayan-waters-1756">PCG challenges Chinese research vessel operating near Cagayan waters</a></div><p>The Tan Suo Er Hao is an 87.25-meter advanced deep-sea scientific research vessel operated by the Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering under the Chinese Academy of Sciences.</p><p>The vessel serves as a mothership for manned and unmanned deep-sea submersibles and supports comprehensive deep-sea scientific operations.</p><p>PCG monitoring showed that the vessel departed from Hainan province in China earlier this month and transited through the western portion of the Philippine EEZ.</p><p>The PCG pilot issued multiple radio challenges to the Tan Suo Er Hao, seeking clarification of its intentions and reminding the crew of the requirement to secure prior consent from the Philippine government before conducting marine scientific research in Philippine waters.</p><p>Despite repeated calls, the vessel did not respond.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;DECEPTIVE BEHAVIOR&#x27;</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Guo on Wednesday rejected the PCG’s assertions, likening the situation to “driving on a public highway that international law clearly allows everyone to use—only to be accused of trespassing because someone insists a side road is the only ‘approved’ route.”</p><p>Guo stressed that under UNCLOS, international passage through the Luzon Strait—including the Bashi, Balintang, and Babuyan channels—is guaranteed.</p><p>“The road didn’t suddenly stop being public just because one party says so,” Guo said.</p><p>Tarriela also addressed Guo’s claim that there was coordination between Chinese vessels and the PCG during a December 24 incident involving Filipino fisherfolk.</p><p>He said that if such coordination had truly occurred, the PCG National Headquarters and its search and rescue center should have been informed in advance.</p><p>“The PCG vessel was already deployed and in the vicinity when the call was made and recorded—actions that appear timed to bolster a narrative rather than reflect genuine, proactive humanitarian intent,” Tarriela said.</p><p>Despite the exchange, the PCG official said he welcomed public discussion of maritime incidents, expressing hope that Chinese officials would maintain the same openness when addressing what he described as Chinese maritime forces’ “barbaric, illegal, coercive, aggressive, and deceptive behavior.&quot;</p><div><br/></div><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/6IQWImtiLxI?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Tarriela accused Beijing of being “disingenuous” in citing UNCLOS protections on innocent passage while ignoring provisions that contradict China’s “excessive and unsubstantiated claims” in the South China Sea.</p>

Tarriela accused Beijing of being “disingenuous” in citing UNCLOS protections on innocent passage while ignoring provisions that contradict China’s “excessive and unsubstantiated claims” in the South China Sea.

Tarriela slams 'disingenuous' UNCLOS claims by Chinese envoy

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Tarriela slams 'disingenuous' UNCLOS claims by Chinese envoy

Bianca Dava,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jan 02, 2026 04:39 PM PHT

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Philippine Coast Guard

Commodore Jay Tarriela

West Philippine Sea

Chinese Research Vessel

UNCLOS

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