PCG challenges Chinese vessel nearing Zambales coast

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) challenged a China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel, CCG-3302, which was detected approaching within 83 to 85 nautical miles off the coast of Palauig, Zambales.

The PCG asserted that the CCG vessel's patrol violated the Philippine Maritime Zones Act, the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and the 2016 Arbitral Award.

PCG spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela stated that the PCG is committed to patrolling the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) to prevent the normalization of illegal Chinese activities and document their patrols in the West Philippine Sea.

The PCG ship BRP Cabra, measuring 44 meters, confronted the much larger 99-meter CCG-3302 to prevent it from moving closer to the coast.

The CCG vessel is more than double the size of the PCG ship that challenged it.

CCG 3302 was previously involved in an incident near Scarborough Shoal in December 2024, where it allegedly fired a water cannon and rammed the PCG vessel BRP Datu Pagbuaya, causing damage.