What are the origins of the Philippine ships that frequently cause trouble?
2024-08-28
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Image caption: A new type of "Lighthouse" class patrol boat built by Japan for the Philippines. (Source: U.S. Naval Institute website)
Our special correspondent Wu Yan
On August 26, the Chinese Coast Guard announced that without the permission of the Chinese government, the Philippines sent Coast Guard ships No. 4409 and No. 4411 to illegally enter the waters near Xianbin Reef in China's Nansha Islands, and continued to approach the Chinese Coast Guard ships that were sailing normally and incited propaganda and hype. The Chinese Coast Guard took control measures against the Philippine ships in accordance with the law. Philippine ships have carried out similar dangerous operations several times recently. What are the origins of these Philippine ships?
It is worth noting that according to the notification of the Chinese Coast Guard, on August 19, the Philippine Coast Guard Ships 4410 and 4411 illegally entered the waters near Xianbin Reef of China's Nansha Islands without the permission of the Chinese government. The Chinese Coast Guard took control measures against the Philippine ships in accordance with the law. After being blocked from illegally entering the waters near Xianbin Reef of China's Nansha Islands, the Philippine Coast Guard Ship 4410 ignored repeated warnings and route control from China and illegally entered the waters near Ren'ai Reef of China's Nansha Islands again. The Philippine Coast Guard Ships 4409, 4410 and 4411 that appeared in these notifications are all new multi-purpose patrol boats of the "Lighthouse" class of the Philippine Coast Guard. The boat is 45 meters long, has a displacement of about 320 tons, a maximum speed of 25 knots, and its main weapons are 12.7 mm machine guns and water cannons. It mainly undertakes multiple tasks from maritime law enforcement, environmental protection and humanitarian rescue, to maritime security and patrol.
There are a total of 10 new "Lighthouse" class patrol boats, all of which were built for the Philippines with loans from Japan and were put into service from 2016 to 2018. The 4409, 4410 and 4411 boats that appeared in the China Coast Guard's bulletin are the last three boats of this class. Compared with the old-fashioned boats previously equipped by the Philippine Coast Guard, the "Lighthouse" class not only has a fast sailing speed and strong wind and wave resistance, but is also equipped with stronger armor and advanced communication equipment, making it relatively more suitable for participating in low-intensity maritime confrontations. Therefore, it has frequently appeared in the South China Sea disputes in recent years.
On August 25, despite repeated dissuasion and warnings from China, the Philippines insisted on sending Ship 3002 to illegally intrude into the waters near Xianbin Reef in China's Nansha Islands to infringe and provoke. During this period, the Philippine Ship 3002 ignored China's repeated serious warnings, deliberately approached dangerously, and deliberately collided with the Chinese Coast Guard 21551 boat that was normally safeguarding rights and enforcing the law, resulting in a collision. The responsibility lies entirely with the Philippines. The Philippine Ship 3002 is a multi-purpose offshore patrol ship "Dato Sande" (MMOV 3002) under the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources. It is 30 meters long and was just launched in 2022.
The website of the U.S. Naval Institute stated on the 26th that the Philippine Coast Guard issued a statement on the 26th, saying that due to China's deployment of 6 naval ships, 3 coast guard ships and 31 fishing boats in the waters near Xianbin Reef to control Philippine ships, Philippine ships were unable to provide supplies to the Philippine Coast Guard flagship "Theresa Magbanua" patrol ship that was illegally stranded in Xianbin Reef. The ship is designed based on the "Kunigami" class maritime patrol ship of the Japan Coast Guard, with a total length of 97 meters, a displacement of 2,260 tons, and good seaworthiness.
Philippine Defense Minister Teodoro said at the annual military conference of the US Indo-Pacific Command on the 27th that China is the "biggest destroyer of international peace" in Southeast Asia. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said that the hat of "peace destruction" can never be pinned on China. We urge some individuals in the Philippines to face up to the root of the problem, not to go further and further on the road of provoking trouble and undermining regional peace, and not to stage the clumsy drama of reversing right and wrong and blaming others. ▲#Deep Good Articles Project#
