The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) recently accused a Chinese research vessel named JIA HAI KE 7 of falsifying its location near the Batanes Islands. These islands are the northernmost group of islands in the Philippines and are close to Taiwan. The Philippine Coast Guard stated that due to the vessel's suspicious behavior, there are serious concerns about the security of the country's underwater communication infrastructure and the potential military use of the collected data.
Suspicious Movements of the Chinese Vessel
The Philippine Coast Guard announced in a statement that the vessel was identified approximately 38 nautical miles northwest of Itbayat. Itbayat is about 160 kilometers away from Taiwan. This vessel, which is flying the Chinese flag, did not respond to several radio requests to identify its objectives and cease unauthorized activities.
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The Philippine Coast Guard pointed out that the vessel was location-fixing and stopping at a specific position and instead of moving along a fixed path, which would indicate safe passage, it remained in the same spot. Additionally, the vessel was likely broadcasting false AIS positions, as tracking data indicates that on the same day it moved from the shores of Xiamen in China to a location near Papua New Guinea and then returned near Itbayat. This timing seems physically impossible.
Consequences and Concerns
The vessel's operations resemble more of marine research activities than safe passage. This 2,000-ton, 70-meter vessel is designed for conducting marine geological surveys and has the capability to maintain precise positioning. The waters surrounding Batanes and the Luzon Strait are recognized as key corridors for submarine cables connecting the Philippines to Northeast Asia and the Indian Ocean.
The Philippine Coast Guard has stated that monitoring of this vessel will continue. On the other hand, the Chinese embassy in Manila has not yet responded to requests for comment. In the past, some Chinese experts from Jinan University have claimed that Batanes belongs to China.
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