TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Philippines announced Sunday, May 3, 2026, that it was deploying aircraft and ships to chase away Chinese research vessels conducting "illegal marine scientific research."
The decision was made after the Philippine Coast Guard detected four Chinese research vessels operating in Philippine waters, according to the local English-language daily Philstar.
"We will not tolerate any illegal marine scientific research conducted without our government’s consent," said Philippine Coast Guard Commander Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan, as quoted by Anadolu.
"We are deploying aircraft and vessels to challenge and drive away these unauthorized vessels to protect Philippine sovereignty and sovereign rights," he said.
China's state-owned news agency, Xinhua, also reported on Sunday that "five Filipino crew members illegally landed on Tiexian Jiao in China's Nansha Qundao, in disregard of the Chinese side's repeated dissuasion and warnings," citing sources.
Beijing refers to the Spratly Islands, which the Philippines claims in the South China Sea, as Nansha Qundao.
China Coast Guard law enforcement officers "identified the intruders and handled the incident in accordance with the law, effectively safeguarding China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests," the statement added.
Read: Indonesia, Philippines Agree to Bolster Strategic Ties
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