THE Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Monday stated it would persist in confronting unlawful patrols in the South China Sea in an effort to deter China from \u201cnormalizing such illicit actions.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShould we fail to contest this, China will succeed in establishing a precedent for its maritime forces\u2019 unlawful patrols in the future,\u201d it noted in a statement.<\/p>\n
It remarked that the presence of white hull ships in response to China\u2019s intrusions into its waters indicates its goal to manage tensions amicably.<\/p>\n
The Philippine Coast Guard emphasized that the employment of its vessels amidst the presence of Chinese ships, including China\u2019s \u201cmonster ship\u201d in Manila\u2019s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) within the South China Sea, \u201cis not intended to provoke China, but to address disputes through logical dialogue and compliance with international law.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cFurthermore, it is essential to underline that the positioning of our white hull vessels to counter China\u2019s unlawful presence reflects the government’s intention to defuse tensions and seek a peaceful resolution regarding these violations of international law,\u201d it added.<\/p>\n Last week, the Philippines accused China of menacing Filipino fishermen near Scarborough Shoal and normalizing its \u201cillegal presence\u201d after Beijing deployed its largest coast guard ship into the Philippine EEZ.<\/p>\n China Coast Guard (CCG)-5901<\/i> was approximately 175.94 kilometers from the shore of Zambales province as of 9 p.m. on Sunday.<\/span><\/p>\n The monster ship, first detected within the Philippine EEZ on Jan. 4, \u201cmoved further away\u201d from the PCG vessel Gabriela Silang<\/i>, the agency stated in a report on Sunday night. It noted another Chinese vessel, CCG-3304<\/i>, approached the shoreline of Zambales at 120.38 kilometers.<\/p>\n \u201cDespite the monster ship\u2019s departure, it is crucial to mention that CCG-3304<\/i>, its substitute, remains larger than the biggest PCG vessel,\u201d the Philippine side remarked, referring to the 97-meter multi-role response vessel BRP Teresa Magbanua<\/i>.<\/p>\n CCG-3304<\/i> measures 111 meters in length and 46 meters in width, it noted.<\/p>\n Moreover, the 83-meter French-built BRP Gabriela Silang<\/i> \u201ccontinues to diligently execute its patriotic mission of challenging the unlawful presence of the Chinese Coast Guard.\u201d<\/p>\n The Philippine Coast Guard affirmed its obligation to confront illegal patrols \u201cto prevent China from normalizing such unlawful actions.\u201d \u201cIf we fail to challenge this, China will succeed in establishing a precedent for its maritime forces\u2019 illegal patrols in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTherefore, regardless of how lengthy the process may be, the PCG vessels will consistently be present to deter China from altering the status quo,\u201d it added.<\/p>\n