Named ‘The Monster,’ China’s largest Coast Guard ship continues its illegal presence near Capones Island, Zambales, well within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ). During a patrol on Sunday, the Philippine Coast Guard’s BRP Cabra firmly informed the Chinese ship that it had no legal authority to patrol within the Philippines’ EEZ, citing Republic Act 12064, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and the 2016 Arbitral Award. The PCG also directed the vessel to leave immediately and to notify them of its intentions.
In defiance, the Chinese vessel claimed it was conducting “law enforcement duties” in what it falsely labeled as jurisdictional waters of the People’s Republic of China. This move arrogantly dismissed the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award—recognized as having binding legal authority under international law—as “illegal and invalid.” This reckless and self-serving behavior highlights China’s blatant disregard for established maritime norms and its continued violation of the rights of other nations.
