West Philippine Sea Watch: China Coast Guard Presence Presses Zambales Corridor

By Cliff Potts, CSO, and Editor-in-Chief of WPS News

BAYBAY CITY, LEYTE, PHILIPPINES — January 10, 2025

China Coast Guard vessels again entered waters off Zambales on January 9–10, prompting repeated radio challenges from the Philippine Coast Guard and renewing concerns in Manila that Beijing is attempting to normalize an illegal presence inside the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone.

Chinese vessels detected off Zambales

According to Philippine Coast Guard officials, a China Coast Guard vessel was detected early January 9 operating roughly 70 to 80 nautical miles off the Zambales coast. The PCG’s BRP Teresa Magbanua immediately issued radio challenges, asserting Philippine jurisdiction and directing the Chinese ship to leave the area.

Later that day, Philippine authorities reported that the initial vessel—identified as CCG 3103—was replaced by another hull, CCG 3304. Officials said the handoff appeared deliberate, allowing China to maintain a continuous presence while presenting the movement as routine patrol activity.

Persistent radio challenges continue

By January 10, the Philippine Coast Guard confirmed that its patrol vessel remained on station and that radio challenges were ongoing. PCG leadership described the Chinese movements as persistent and calculated, emphasizing that the ships were operating well within waters claimed by the Philippines under international law.

No collision or direct confrontation was reported during the two-day period. Instead, the encounter remained a test of endurance, presence, and messaging at sea.

A familiar pattern of normalization

Philippine officials and maritime analysts warned that the Zambales activity follows a familiar pattern seen elsewhere in the West Philippine Sea. Chinese coast guard ships loiter for extended periods, rotate hulls, and conduct patrol-like maneuvers designed to project authority without crossing clear escalation thresholds.

The concern, officials said, is not a single incident but repetition. Over time, continued presence risks being framed as a “new normal,” even when such activity lacks legal basis.

Philippine response: visible and restrained

The Philippine response during the January 9–10 window remained firm but restrained. Rather than escalating the encounter, the PCG emphasized visibility, documentation, and consistent assertion of maritime rights through radio challenges and sustained patrols.

Officials reiterated that their actions are grounded in Philippine law, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and the 2016 arbitral ruling that invalidated China’s sweeping maritime claims.

Impact on coastal communities

For communities along the Zambales coast, the incidents carry practical consequences. Philippine authorities have long said that foreign coast guard presence can intimidate fishermen and undermine confidence in accessing traditional fishing grounds. Maintaining patrols, they argue, is as much about civilian protection as it is about sovereignty.

What comes next

As of late afternoon January 10, no confirmed withdrawal by the Chinese vessel had been announced. Monitoring operations were continuing, with officials watching closely to see whether the activity tapers off or becomes another extended patrol.

Observers note that the Zambales corridor has become a recurring pressure point, with Beijing testing how consistently and publicly Manila will respond. The answer, Philippine officials suggest, lies in refusing to allow repetition to turn into acceptance.

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Archive note

This article is archived as part of the ongoing WPS News Monthly Brief Series available through Amazon.

References (APA)

GMA Integrated News. (2025, January 9). PCG issues radio challenges to latest Chinese vessels off Zambales. GMA News Online.

Dela Cruz, R. C. (2025, January 10). PCG ship challenges CCG presence in PH EEZ. Philippine News Agency (mirrored by GlobalSecurity.org).

Atienza, K. A. T. (2025, January 12). China emboldened to occupy EEZs of other countries if unchallenged — PCG. BusinessWorld Online.