Why is the China Coast Guard’s biggest ship still in Escoda Shoal?

The 'monster' China Coast Guard ship has been anchored near Escoda Shoal since early July 2024

For over two months now, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)’s BRP Teresa Magbanua has been keeping watch over Escoda (Sabina) Shoal in the West Philippine Sea, because of concerns that China is trying to build yet another “artificial island.”

Escoda Shoal is very close – just some 75 nautical miles away – to the province of Palawan.

It’s also a frequent meeting point for Philippine vessels en route to nearby Ayungin Shoal, where the rusting BRP Sierra Madre serves as a Philippine military outpost.

The Magbanua, one of the two largest in the PCG’s roster, has seen leadership change while at sea. It’s also been resupplied by smaller PCG vessels, so that it’s able to stay out at sea longer.

But in the last two weeks, it’s been joined by an unwelcome intruder: China Coast Guard (CCG) ship 5901, dubbed Beijing’s “monster” because of, well, its sheer size.

On July 17, Commodore Jay Tarriela of the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea said CCG vessel 5901 was still anchored near Escoda Shoal, just some 638 yards away from the BRP Teresa Magbanua.

China’s massive coast guard vessel

What is the “monster” CCG ship and what is it doing there?

It’s been dubbed a monster because it’s so huge – at over 12,000 tons. As of posting, it is the world’s largest coast guard vessel.

At 165 meters long, it towers over the 97-meter BRP Teresa Magbanua. It’s also four times larger than the PCG’s 44-meter, Parola-class patrol vessels, which are used to regularly patrol Philippine waters.

Ray Powell, a retired United States Air Force colonel, said China’s 5901 exists to intimidate.

“There is no reason for a ship to be that large in the coast guard,” he explained. Because it’s huge, it’s not quick to maneuver – a feature you usually want from coast guard ships.

Powell, who was once defense attaché to Vietnam and Australia, likened the massive ship to a “billboard” in the South China Sea – Beijing’s way of announcing and asserting its claims.

Escoda Shoal is well within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, but China still insists on its sweeping claim of almost all the South China Sea.

China’s intimidation does not seem to be working on the Philippines. The PCG has said repeatedly that the BRP Teresa Magbanua will not be leaving the waters of Escoda Shoal any time soon.

China’s expansion

The Philippines has reason to be adamant about keeping a presence in Escoda Shoal. After all, it’s been China’s game plan to slowly – and sometimes swiftly – take over features in the South China Sea, including in the West Philippine Sea.

In Mischief Reef, for instance, China began its takeover by first constructing in 1995 what it claimed were structures to help fisherfolk seek shelter while out at sea. By 1999, it became obvious that the reef was being turned into a military base for the People’s Liberation Army.

China’s expansion in Mischief Reef is why the Philippines decided to ground the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal back in 1999.

China occupies several other features in the West Philippine Sea, including Zamora Reef, Burgos Reef North, Burgos Reef South, Hughes Reef, Kagilingan Reef, Mabini Reef, Calderon Reef, and Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal.

Other claimant countries – Vietnam and Malaysia – also occupy several features in the West Philippine Sea, although Mischief Reef or Panganiban Reef is especially a threat because it’s so close to Palawan.

What’s next?

Is it time for the Philippines to send more ships – including gray or Navy ships – to Escoda Shoal?

“The problem with that approach is that, of course, China also has many more gray ships, right? And so the question is, what does the Philippines get in exchange for its escalation, except for a Chinese escalation?” said Powell.

China outnumbers the Philippines greatly in terms of the number of ships at its disposal – both from the coast guard and the navy. For instance, the Philippines only has two 97-meter vessels in its coast guard roster – the BRP Teresa Magbanua and the BRP Melchora Aquino. Both ships were acquired through a project funded by Japan.

While the two countries recently agreed for the Philippines to acquire five more, those ships won’t come for at least a few years.

Powell, who has been studying China’s “gray zone” activities in the South China Sea, said this is part of the Beijing playbook – using its coast guard to make sovereignty claims and assertions. Theirs is a massive coast guard fleet, enforced by a Chinese Maritime Militia (CMM) – a fleet of fishing vessels that can act in sync and in coordination with the CCG.

That it’s an asymmetric situation works to Beijing’s advantage. If the Philippines sends more white (coast guard) ships, China can easily match that, and more. If Manila sends gray ships, it’ll be seen as an escalation to add military vessels in the mix.

The CCG, unlike the PCG, is part of China’s military structure.

During Philippine resupply missions to Ayungin Shoal, for instance, CMM ships also use dangerous manuevers – in tandem with the CCG – to block Philippine vessels.

Tensions between the Philippines and China in the West Philippine Sea have worsened in the past year as the Philippines asserts its sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea.

China has responded largely with aggression and violence – blocking Philippine vessels and using water cannons at sea. A June 17 resupply mission to Ayungin Shoal turned violent, with the CCG towing, boarding, and destroying Philippine navy dinghies.

Manila and Beijing recently agreed on a maritime communications mechanism – through representatives of their presidents, foreign ministries, and even coast guards – to avoid incidents in the West Philippine Sea. A similar mechanism, also forged under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., did not really work, however – China either did not or was very slow to respond. – Rappler.com