PH Navy confirms China Coast Guard ship's passage near Lubang Island

The Philippine Navy on Tuesday confirmed a recent report on the presence of a China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel near Lubang Island.

In a press briefing, Philippine Navy spokesperson for West Philippine Sea Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said that the Chinese ship was on a “continuous passage” and exercised the “freedom of navigation.”

“The Philippine Navy has monitored the presence. It was a continuous passage west of Lubang Island 60 nautical miles from mainland Luzon,” Trinidad said.

Asked if it was an innocent passage, Trinidad responded, “Freedom of navigation, yes.”

Trinidad said the Philippine Navy informed the Philippine Coast Guard, Naval Forces Northern Luzon, and Naval Forces West about the patrol conducted by the Chinese vessel.

The China Coast Guard 5303 vessel was spotted near Lubang Island in Mindoro on Sunday afternoon while conducting an “intrusive patrol,” former US Air Force official and Defence Attaché Ray Powell said on Monday.

“At 16:20 yesterday the 135-meter China Coast Guard 5303 arrived 60 nm west of the Philippines' Lubang Island & is now conducting an intrusive patrol at that location,” he said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

Tensions continue amid China’s massive claim in the South China Sea (SCS) including the portion the Philippines refers to as the West Philippine Sea.

The SCS is a conduit for more than $3 trillion in annual ship commerce. Aside from the Philippines, China has overlapping claims in the area with Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei.

In 2016, an international arbitration tribunal in Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines over China's claims in the South China Sea, saying that it had "no legal basis."

China has not recognized the decision.—RF, GMA Integrated News