ABS-CBN
PCG tracks movement of China’s 'monster' ship
The world's largest coast guard vessel, CCG 5901 or 'The Monster,' was monitored in the West Philippine Sea from June 17 to 27.
This 165-meter long vessel is larger than a US Navy Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser and is armed with naval guns.
The CCG 5901 was recently deployed to Escoda Shoal to intimidate the Philippine Coast Guard vessel BRP Teresa Magbanua, with the vessels maintaining a close proximity of less than 800 yards.
According to PCG spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela, the deployment of 'The Monster' was to intimidate the BRP Teresa Magbanua, which has been stationed at Escoda Shoal for over two months.
The Philippine Coast Guard successfully tracked the movements of CCG-5901 using Canada's Dark Vessel Detection technology after it departed from Hainan on July 1st and entered the Philippines' Exclusive Economic Zone.
China Coast Guard and maritime militia vessels were also spotted in a blockade formation around Ayungin and Escoda Shoals.
The vessel's presence in the country's Exclusive Economic Zone comes in the wake of the 9th meeting of Bilateral Consultation Mechanism on the South China Sea.
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China Coast Guard's massive ship, CCG 5901, nicknamed "The Monster," has maintained an illegal presence at Escoda Shoal since July 3, according to the Philippine Navy.
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The Philippine Navy reported a decrease in the total number of Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) from 129 to 95 between June 25 and July 1.
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A China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel and Chinese maritime militia ships intercepted two Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessels near Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.
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The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is investigating two Chinese-flagged vessels, Yong Fa Men and Mei Lan Hu, identified as "vessels of interest" in a collision with a Filipino fishing boat.
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The Philippine Navy has observed a significant decrease in the presence of Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea, with 95 vessels monitored from June 25 to July 1, down from 129 the previous week.
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