The Philippine coast guard on Nov. 26 discovered 13 undocumented Chinese nationals hiding aboard a Philippine vessel with what appeared to be a Chinese military uniform, raising security concerns.
The Philippines has
released the names of the 13 individuals, launched an investigation, and is now trying to secure custody of the undocumented Chinese nationals.
Commodore Jay Tarriela, Philippine coast guard spokesman, stated that the undocumented Chinese were discovered on a dredger vessel that was anchored in Mariveles, Bataan, and scheduled to head to San Felipe, Zambales. Both locations are municipalities in the Philippines.
Before the vessel’s departure, the Philippine coast guard tried to board for a standard inspection but an agent denied the coast guard entry.
This prompted additional coast guard personnel from the local station “to perform a more detailed inspection,” Tarriela stated.
When they got on board, they discovered nine undocumented Chinese crew members, while the crew manifest only included eight Filipino crew members. In a follow-up inspection, they found an additional four undocumented Chinese nationals.
Tarriela released the names of the undocumented individuals, footage of the inspection, and photos of the dredger vessel online, along with the Philippine coast guard statement on the investigation.
“Additionally, a uniform resembling that of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) was found on board, raising significant concerns regarding the intentions of these undocumented individuals,” Tarriela stated.
“Efforts are underway to pursue legal action and ensure the custody of these undocumented individuals.”
Relations between Manila and Beijing have long been contentious, resulting in maritime clashes. This year alone, Chinese vessels sought to
block Philippine coast guard patrols and resupply missions several times, and Philippine officials have been
documenting and
publicizing these incidents.
The Chinese communist regime claims nearly all of the South China Sea as its own, but those claims run counter to international law, which designates the 200 nautical miles off a nation’s coast as its exclusive economic zone and other areas as international waters. The region is believed to be rich in resources such as minerals and sees some
$5 trillion in global trade pass through annually, including oil from the Middle East to China.
The Philippines is but one of the nations in a territorial dispute with the Chinese regime, which has built artificial islands to expand its reach and increase its military presence in the area. In 2013, the Philippines
sought legal arbitration, and in 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled that Beijing’s claims were legally meritless.
The Chinese regime has rejected the ruling, and its increased military aggression in the region has drawn international condemnation. The United States recently reiterated its support for the Philippines exercising its sovereign right and on Nov. 18,
signed a military intelligence-sharing agreement with the island nation.
Filipino President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. told reporters he expects the strong alliance to continue across U.S. administrations, sharing optimism after a Nov. 19
call with President-elect Donald Trump.
