MANILA, Philippines — A Chinese research vessel approached close to the Philippine coastline on Saturday morning before switching off its tracking system, a maritime security analyst reported., This news data comes from:http://771bg.com
Retired US Air Force Col. Ray Powell, director of the SeaLight project at Stanford University’s Gordian Knot Center, said that the Dong Fang Hong 3, a 103-meter oceanographic ship, came within 65 nautical miles of the Philippines before going “dark” at 7:12 a.m. local time.
The vessel is equipped with advanced oceanographic sensors, multi-beam sonar, and remotely operated vehicles, giving it the capability to conduct seabed mapping, acoustic monitoring, and surveys of underwater infrastructure, Powell noted.
He warned that such activities form part of Beijing’s “gray zone tactics playbook,” in which China mixes legitimate scientific research with assertion of its maritime claims and the gathering of potential military intelligence.
Powell’s post, citing tracking data from maritime analytics firm Starboard, comes amid continuing tensions in the West Philippine Sea, where Manila has repeatedly protested Chinese incursions.
As of posting time, Philippine authorities have yet to issue a statement on the reported movement of the Chinese vessel.
Chinese research vessel spotted near Philippine coast but 'goes dark' after, says maritime expert
- South Africa's most vulnerable struggle to find HIV medication after US aid cuts
- Kilauea's eruption is back as the Hawaii volcano shoots lava for the 31st time since December
- Giovanni Lopez pledges to continue and expand DOTr reforms
- Metro Manila floods strand commuters, disrupt classes
- SC clarifies rules on land ownership
- Sri Lanka's jailed ex-president Wickremesinghe granted bail
- China displays its weaponry in a tightly controlled military parade
- Malacañang calls plot to jail VP Duterte 'wild imagination'
- SpaceX cancels Starship megarocket launch
- Tariffs, migration and cartels will top Rubio's talks in Mexico and Ecuador this week
