PCG: 2 Chinese research ships, namataan sa EEZ ng Pinas

MANILA, Philippines — Dalawang Chinese research vessels ang namataan sa exclusive economic zone (EEZ) ng Pilipinas.

Tinukoy ni Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea (WPS) Commodore Jay Tarriela ang mga Chinese ships na kinabibilangan ng Xiang Yang Hong 302 at Tan Suo Er Hao.

Ayon kay Tarriela, ang Xiang Yang Hong 302 ay umalis mula sa Hainan, China noong Mayo 1 at na-monitor may 180 nautical miles sa karagatang sakop ng  Rizal, Palawan, dakong alas-8 ng umaga kahapon. Ang naturang barko aniya ay nasa ilalim ng administrasyon ng State Oceanic Administration. 

“It is intended for use by the [People’s Liberation Army Navy of China] for oceanography. It has an overall length of 100 meters and 4,500 tons,” ani Tarriela.

“The capability of this Chinese research vessel is to conduct deep sea surveying. This is the reason why it is also equipped with remotely operated vehicles and private underwater drones.”

Samantala, sinabi rin ni Tarriela na ang Tan Suo Er Hao naman ay umalis sa Hainan noong Mayo 8 at namataan may 130.5 nautical miles mula sa Burgos, Ilocos Norte. 

Ang naturang Chinese research vessel ay nasa ilalim ng China Ocean Mineral Resources Research and Development Association (COMRA) at pinamamahalaan ng Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering.

“It has the capability of also the same with the Xiang Yang Hong 302. It has the capability for deep sea research capability,” aniya.

Tiniyak naman ni Tarriela na kaagad na ipinag-utos ni PCG chief Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan ang pag-deploy ng isang aircraft upang magsagawa ng maritime domain awareness flight para i-monitor ang Tan Suo Er Hao.

Bukod sa dalawang Chinese vessels, namonitor rin nila ang Zhong Shan Da Xue sa EEZ ng Pilipinas ngunit bumalik na ito sa Guangdong dakong alas-9:56 ng umaga kahapon.

Sinabi pa niya na, “As you can see from the navigation pattern of this Chinese research vessel, the Chinese government cannot deny that what they are doing there is actually a marine scientific research.”

Ani Tarriela, ang Zhong Shan Da Xue ay pagma-may-ari at inu-operate ng Sun Yat-sen University.