Chinese survey ship defies Duterte order
Credit to Author: Tempo Desk| Date: Sat, 24 Aug 2019 08:40:11 +0000
A Chinese survey ship which was earlier tracked to have been operating within the country’s exclusive economic zone has re-entered Philippine territorial waters without informing authorities in an apparent defiance to President Duterte’s order.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said Friday that the re-entry of Chinese oceanographic survey ship “Zhangjian” within the country’s EEZ was just “okay” as long as they will not stay there for too long.
“Actually, I have seen the movement of that survey ship and most of his movements were outside our EEZ, in the Pacific Ocean, but sometimes it was entering our EEZ. Probably it was doing some surveys or just avoiding big waves or bad weather. I think it’s okay, just don’t stay within our EEZ for too long,” he said.
The presence of Zhangjian was revealed in a satellite image provided by Ryan Martinson, assistant professor of Chinese Maritime Studies Institute at the US Naval War College, on his social media account last Thursday.
He said Zhangjian has re-entered the Philippines EEZ heading towards west at 190 knots.
Martinson was the one who also disclosed Zhangjian’s first sighting last Aug. 6 about 80 nautical miles off the country’s east coast.
Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo had disclosed the President had issued a warning to all foreign vessels that they must seek a clearance from concerned authorities first before passing through the country’s territorial waters.
Panelo added that they must comply with the order in a friendly manner or the government will enforce it in an “unfriendly manner.” (Martin Sadongdong)