The Chinese private research vessel "Jiahaike 7" has been operating near the Batanes Islands in the northern Philippines for many days. When the Philippine Coast Guard dispatched its largest patrol ship to drive away on the 1st, a Chinese coast guard ship suddenly arrived at the scene to cover it. This made the Philippines question whether the research vessel's activities were not simple and whether it was collecting data in the important local undersea communication cable corridor.
Philippine Coast Guard spokesman Jay Tarriela said on the 1st that the "Jiahaiko 7" stayed about 70 kilometers northwest of Itbayat in the Batanes Islands. The Philippines dispatched the coast guard "BRP Teresa Magbanua" and the "PCG Islander" 251) Patrol aircraft, the coast guard approached Jiahaike 7 less than 100 yards away, and lowered its rigid inflatable boat to circumvent the research vessel, while the patrol aircraft circled at low altitude to provide support. During the eviction operation, the Chinese coast guard ship numbered 2503 "suddenly" arrived, warned the Philippines through radio, and covered the research vessel.
The Philippines said its actions ultimately succeeded in "interrupting the research vessel's illegal marine scientific research and forcing it to leave where it was originally staying." The coast guard pointed out that the activity pattern of Jiahaike 7 was not consistent with the innocent passage of ships. "Instead, it remained in its original position and wandered in the same sea area for four days. This clearly shows that marine scientific research is being conducted." The Philippines had previously requested the ship three times to explain its mission and stop unauthorized investigation activities, but received no response.
The South China Morning Post reported that according to ship tracking data, Jiahaike 7 departed from Xiamen on September 19, arrived near Ibaiya Island on the 22nd, and stayed there until at least the 29th. Jiahaike 7, with a total length of 70 meters, is China's first private research ship equipped with a DP2-level dynamic positioning system. This system is designed to accurately maintain the ship's position and conduct offshore marine geological surveys.
The incident comes amid heightened friction over the Batanes. The Batanes Islands are only over 100 kilometers away from the main island of Taiwan. Chinese scholars argued at a seminar in June that the Batanes are "a natural geographical extension of Taiwan" and therefore belong to China. The Philippines refutes this statement as baseless and paves the way for China's expansion.
The incident also raises concerns about China's use of research vessels to assert sovereignty, map the seabed for possible military purposes, and collect information on underwater infrastructure in disputed waters. Japan and the Philippines reached an agreement in May to start delimitation negotiations for the two countries' exclusive economic zones and continental shelf overlapping areas, which heightened Beijing's attention to this area.
Tarriera pointed out that the presence of the Chinese Coast Guard accompanied by a private research vessel "raises serious questions about who Jiahaike 7 really works for" and what information is collected in the Philippine submarine cable corridor.
The Chinese Embassy in the Philippines recently responded to the operation of Jiahaike 7 in the waters near the Batanes Islands, stating that "China has sovereignty and jurisdiction over the relevant waters, and the relevant Chinese ships are sailing within the waters under China's jurisdiction."
