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Cristina Chi - Philstar.com
May 6, 2025 | 4:38pm
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Coast Guard captured footage of a Chinese vessel's retrieval of a manned deep-sea submersible vessel from waters near Ilocos Norte on Monday, May 5 — an incident that the PCG believes confirms China's unauthorized research within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.
The Chinese research vessel Tan Suo 3 was first detected entering the Philippines' EEZ on May 1, approximately 92 nautical miles off the coast of Burgos, Ilocos Norte.
After monitoring the vessel's "irregular movements," the PCG deployed its largest patrol vessel, BRP Teresa Magbanua, and an aircraft launched from Laoag on Monday to challenge the Chinese vessel's presence.
While tailing the vessel, Coast Guard personnel saw the Chinese research vessel retrieving the deep-sea submersible Shenhai Yongshi or "Deep-Sea Warrior," which is capable of diving to depths of 4,500 meters, according to a statement by PCG Spokesperson Jay Tarriela.
"During the operation, the PCG spotted a manned deep-sea submersible vessel fast approaching the Chinese Research Vessel, which was later retrieved by its crew. This submersible, known as the SHENHAI YONGSHI or Deep-Sea Warrior, is engineered for deep-sea exploration and scientific research," Tarriela said.
The Chinese vessel was also seen deploying a smaller boat to recover a "yellow unidentified piece of equipment," which Tarriela said may also be related to marine scientific research activities.
The Chinese Research Vessel chose not to respond to our radio challenge, as they were focused on retrieving their deep-sea submersible, known as the SHENHAI YONGSHI or Deep-Sea Warrior. This vessel is designed for deep-sea exploration and scientific research, capable of diving to… pic.twitter.com/mCbWQKrXh1
— Jay Tarriela (@jaytaryela) May 6, 2025Attempt to hide?
Based on video footage of the operation, Tarriela said the Chinese crew appeared to deliberately maneuver their vessel to obstruct the PCG's view of the actual retrieval of the manned submersible vessel.
"When we arrived, they immediately retrieved this Chinese submersible vessel," Tarriela said during a press conference on Tuesday, May 6.
"It was actually retrieved from behind. They maneuvered the vessel so that the cameras would not be able to document the retrieval of the submersible research vessel," the PCG spokesperson said while sharing videos of the operation.
The PCG spokesperson believes this incident is "clear evidence" that China is conducting illegal scientific research activities within the Philippines' EEZ.
The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) requires foreign states to obtain the consent of the coastal state before conducting marine research in its EEZ.
"These are clear indications that what they're doing in our own exclusive economic zone, at a distance of barely 90 nautical miles off the coast of Burgos, Ilocos Norte, is that they are conducting illegal marine scientific research," Tarriela said during the press conference.
Tarriela also expressed concern that the submersible itself has the capability for deep-sea mapping, which could potentially support submarine navigation and deployment in Philippine waters.
Chinese vessel driven off
The PCG spokesperson said the Coast Guard was able to prevent the Chinese vessel from continuing its activities.
The Chinese vessel was "advised to stop whatever they are doing, considering that there are a lot of indications that they are carrying out a marine scientific research," Tarriela said.
BRP Teresa Magbanua has since "escorted" or repelled the Chinese research vessel farther away from the waters off Ilocos Norte.
"As we speak right now, the Chinese research vessel is already at 250 nautical miles off the coast of Burgos, Ilocos Norte," he said. "Meaning to say that the deployment of the Philippine Coast Guard BRP Teresa Magbanua and our Coast Guard aircraft is successful in preventing the Chinese government in doing marine scientific research."
Based on the PCG's monitoring of the Chinese vessel's movements, it was "deemed inconsistent with the freedom of navigation and indicative of marine scientific research activities, which violate the sovereign rights of the Philippines."
China's underwater drones. The incident follows growing concerns from Philippine officials about Chinese surveillance activities in Philippine waters. Just last month, Philippine Navy spokesperson Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad disclosed that underwater drones recovered by Filipino fishermen were likely deployed by China to map the Philippines' underwater terrain.
According to the Armed Forces of the Philippines' findings shared by Trinidad, five such devices were found in strategic locations near critical maritime choke points between 2022 and 2024, with forensic analysis indicating a "55 to 80 percent likelihood" that at least two were of Chinese origin.
Trinidad had warned that the mapping of underwater terrain constitutes an "essential step to undersea warfare" and, more broadly, raises significant security implications for the Philippines.
