Chinese ship raises suspicion in Manila

Warship detected off coast within economic zone

MANILA // The Philippine defence minister yesterday said he was disturbed by what he believed were survey missions from Chinese ships deep into his country’s exclusive economic zone and in an area designated as its continental shelf.

Delfin Lorenzana said Chinese vessels had been monitored in recent months at locations close to the Philippines. A warship was detected about 130 kilometres off the west coast in the South China Sea, and survey ships were reported at the north and south of the eastern seaboard. While president Rodrigo Duterte has often praised China amid a warming relationship, Mr Lorenzana is openly suspicious, noting that Beijing’s fortification of manmade islands inside the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone has continued. China claims most of the energy- rich waters through which about US$ 5 trillion (Dh18.4 trillion) in seaborne trade passes every year. Neighbours Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims.

Mr Lorenzana said satellite imagery provided by allies tracked Chinese vessels for three months last year in Benham Rise, a vast area declared by the United Nations as part of the Philippines’ continental shelf.

The defence minister said he was suspicious of the vessel’s activities to the east because Beijing had never laid claim to those waters.

He said he had received information suggesting China may have been surveying water depths to prepare submarine routes to the Pacific.

He has told the navy to intercept vessels if they returned.

The Chinese activity came as the two countries sought to forge closer trade and investment ties under Mr Duterte after years of bickering and mistrust, mostly over the South China Sea.

The Philippine finance ministry issued a statement yesterday lauding the two countries’ moves to fast track big infrastructure projects to completion within three years.

The Philippines won an international arbitration award last year that invalidated China’s claims to sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea.

Instead of pressing China to comply, Mr Duterte has chosen to tap Beijing for business and has promised to deal with the maritime dispute later.

Mr Lorenzana voiced frustration yesterday that since Mr Duterte took office eight months ago, the Philippines had submitted about a dozen requests to the Chinese embassy to explain its maritime activities, but each time, it had denied they had taken place.

China’s foreign ministry spokesman, Geng Shuang, said he was unaware of the report about the survey ships.