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Chinese Helicopter Hazes Philippine Fishermen at Iroquois Reef

PCG
Courtesy AFP

Published Dec 2, 2024 8:27 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

Last week, after a PLA Navy helicopter harassed fishing vessels near Iroquois Reef in the Philippine exclusive economic zone, the Philippine Coast Guard deployed two of its newest cutters to the area to help protect local fishermen. BRP Melchora Aquino and BRP Cape Engaño were dispatched to the area to demonstrate the "firm stance and commitment of [President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.] not to surrender a square inch of our territory to any foreign power," the PCG said in a statement. 

On Monday, the China Coast Guard accused the Philippines of deploying fishing vessels to gather near Iroquois Reef under a "pretext of fishing" - the same pretext used by the Chinese maritime militia, a state paramilitary organization that operates hundreds of trawlers in the Philippine exclusive economic zone. In a statement, the CCG alleged that the Philippine fishing vessels were conducting an "illegal gathering" in the Philippine exclusive economic zone, more than 600 nautical miles away from mainland China. 

"Dealing with an authoritarian regime that disregards human rights and freedom is very challenging. The China Coast Guard views the fishing activities of a group of Filipino fishermen as an 'illegal gathering' and interprets it as a provocation on the part of the Philippines," said Philippine Coast Guard spokesman Jay Tarriela. "Filipino fishermen have every legal right to fish in our EEZ, as it is only 138 nautical miles from the coastline of Palawan."

The Chinese allegation follows less than a week after a swarm of 80-plus Chinese maritime militia vessels anchored near Pag-Asa Island, within the Philippines' 12-mile territorial sea boundary. That cluster of Chinese ships has departed the area and relocated en masse to the Chinese naval base at Subi Reef, according to open-source intelligence analysts and satellite imaging.  

Beijing claims most of the western Philippine EEZ under the sweeping "nine-dash line" policy, even though this claim was invalidated by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague in 2016. China refuses to recognize the court ruling, and it maintains that it has historical sovereignty over the vast majority of the South China Sea, including the areas beyond national jurisdiction and most of the exclusive economic zones of neighboring states. 

Russian sub transits Philippine EEZ

Last week, a Russian Kilo-class submarine was spotted on the surface about 80 nautical miles to the west of Occidental Mindoro, transiting the Philippine EEZ. The Philippine Navy deployed a patrol aircraft and the frigate BRP Jose Rizal to monitor its passage. 

Courtesy AFP

The sub was identified as the Ufa, a Kilo II-class diesel-electric attack sub, which had been deployed for exercises with the Malaysian Navy earlier in November. The Philippine Navy queried the surfaced sub by VHF, and the captain responded that the vessel was on its way back to Vladivostok and was waiting out poor weather. It remained surfaced throughout its transit through Philippine waters. 

In a brief exchange with reporters on Monday, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said that the sub's unexpected presence was "very worrisome," but declined to comment on details. 

The Russian corvettes Gromkiy, Aldar Tsydenzhapov and Rezkiy are also currently operating in the South China Sea, along with the oiler Pechenga.