The Chinese Coast Guard vessel 4305 is only 48 nautical miles away from the Philippine coast, causing a stir in Manila, which has dispatched a large number of ships and aircraft to intercept!

On April 19, the Filipinos were startled at their own doorstep. General Jay Talierra, spokesperson for the Philippine Coast Guard, confirmed to Bombo Radyo radio that a Chinese coast guard ship had appeared 48 nautical miles off the coast of Pundaquit in Zambales Province.

This Chinese coast guard vessel, numbered 4305, was stationed in waters claimed by the Philippines as its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The news spread rapidly through Manila, sending shockwaves among Filipinos. What did they do? They immediately sent their own patrol vessel No. 4408, accompanied by a small reconnaissance aircraft, to confront the Chinese ship with a "radio challenge"—in plain terms, using radio communication to demand an explanation for why China’s vessel was anchored there. However, the Chinese CGV 4305 ignored the provocation and remained stationary, showing no movement whatsoever.

Let’s discuss the background first. How big exactly is this CGV 4305? According to available data, it is a massive 3,000-ton vessel, notable not only for its 76mm main gun but also for its helicopter landing platform—clearly a formidable presence. In contrast, the Philippine vessel, No. 4408, is merely a small Japanese-designed patrol boat measuring just 44 meters long. The difference in displacement and firepower is roughly tenfold. There's another subtle point: while the Philippines claims this vessel entered its EEZ, it must be emphasized that an EEZ does not equate to territorial waters—foreign vessels retain the right of innocent passage under international law.

On the morning of April 19, the Philippine Coast Guard first detected the CGV 4305 via Canada’s “Dark Vessel Detection” system. Subsequently, they launched a small aircraft to confirm the sighting, then initiated radio communications both at sea and in the air. Throughout the entire process, there was no direct contact, no collision, and no gunfire. The Chinese vessel remained silent from start to finish—refusing to respond to the radio challenges and showing no intention of departing promptly; it simply stayed put.

This distance—48 nautical miles—translates to less than 90 kilometers from the Philippine mainland. To Manila, this is unprecedented. Faced with such a situation, the Philippines felt compelled to respond. Sending ships and aircraft to issue a radio challenge demonstrates at minimum a need to provide domestic political and public relations justification. For China, the act of remaining in place is the clearest possible response: “You don’t leave, so neither will I.”

In the long term, if this kind of 48-nautical-mile routine patrol continues, the Philippines will be increasingly forced into taking action. Verbal warnings alone won’t suffice—what happens if one day those warnings fail to deter? Might more aggressive measures be taken? Then these narrow stretches of water—just tens of nautical miles wide—will become daily, unavoidable realities. This is a challenge the Philippines will have to face in the future.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1865763665780748/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.