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China justifies presence of 'monster' ship in Philippine EEZ

Philippines | National

China justifies presence of 'monster' ship in Philippine EEZ

By Joseph Pedrajas

China has continued to justify its illegal intrusion into the Philippine exclusive economic zone (EEZ), with the latest one on the Sabina Shoal.

After the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported that China anchored its “monster” ship, the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) vessel 5901, near Sabina or around 130 kilometers off Palawan, Beijing said its move is within its rights.

“To patrol and conduct law enforcement activities by Chinese military and Coast Guard vessels in the waters near Xianbin Jiao is within China’s domestic law and international law, including UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea),” Lin Jian, spokesman for China’s Foreign Ministry, said Monday, July 8.

Sabina Shoal is located within the Philippines’ 200-nautical miles EEZ, according to UNCLOS and affirmed by the 2016 Arbitral Award.

Despite this, Lin maintained that Sabina (Xianbin Jiao for China) “is part of China’s Nansha Qundao, not the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.”

On July 5, PCG spokesman Jay Tarriela said China anchored its biggest ship “to intimidate” the smaller BRP Teresa Magbanua of the Philippines.

It was China's latest act of aggression in the waters to maintain its illegal claim over the West Philippine Sea, a part of the South China Sea that it claims to be its own.

Related Tags

Sabina Shoal West Philippine Sea Lin Jian

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