Philippines Accuses China Of Illegal Marine Research Inside Its EEZ Near Gas-Rich Reed Bank

The Philippines has accused China of conducting unauthorised marine scientific research near the oil- and gas-rich Reed Bank within its exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said a Chinese research vessel was operating near the area without permission and described the activity as a violation of Philippine sovereign rights and international maritime law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

PCG aircraft monitored the Chinese research vessel Xiang Yang Hong 33 near Iroquois Reef during a maritime patrol on 6 May.

The agency said the vessel was seen deploying a service boat towards the reef, indicating ongoing “unauthorised” research operations.

The PCG further reported the presence of one Chinese Coast Guard vessel and 13 Chinese maritime militia ships around the reef during the same patrol. It also tracked 28 Chinese maritime militia vessels near Thitu Island.

According to the PCG, the research vessel left China on 15 April and had carried out operations in recent weeks near Second Thomas Shoal, Sabina Shoal, Mischief Reef and Jackson Atoll.

Philippine Coast Guard commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan said the agency would continue to challenge any activities it considers illegal, stating that such operations undermine Philippine sovereignty and sovereign rights.

China rejected the accusations. The China Coast Guard said a PCG aircraft “deliberately approached and harassed” the research vessel and described its activities as legitimate marine ecological surveys.

It also accused the Philippines of distorting facts and urged it to stop “illegal harassment, smearing and inflammatory propaganda”.

The Chinese Embassy in Manila also defended the operations, stating that Chinese research vessels conducting scientific missions in waters it considers under its jurisdiction are carrying out normal activities in accordance with international law.

The disputed operations took place within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ), where coastal states have sovereign rights over marine resources under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

However, China maintains overlapping jurisdictional claims in large parts of the South China Sea, including areas referenced in this incident.

Marine scientific research operations typically involve survey vessels deploying smaller service boats and equipment to collect oceanographic, ecological, or seabed data.

In this case, the Philippine Coast Guard reported that the Chinese vessel was actively deploying a service boat near reef areas, suggesting on-site operational surveying activity.

References: Reuters, Straitstimes