The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) drove away on Thursday, a Chinese research vessel it had monitored off the waters of Batanes since Monday.

Rear Admiral Jay Tarriela, Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, said Chinese research vessel Jia Hai Ke 7 has been loitering inside the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), about 37 nautical miles northwest of Itbayat, Batanes, since the PCG first confirmed its presence in the area on September 28.

Tarriela said the PCG deployed BRP Teresa Magbanua and the PCG Islander aircraft (tail number 251) on Thursday to challenge the Chinese research vessel, disrupt its activities, and drive it away from Philippine waters.

"The PCG mission against the Chinese research vessel Jia Hai Ke 7 was successful. Sustained pressure from BRP Teresa Magbanua and PCG Islander 251 disrupted the vessel's unauthorized marine scientific research and compelled it to leave its loitering position," he said.

During the mission, BRP Teresa Magbanua closed in on Jia Hai Ke 7 to less than 100 yards and launched a rigid-hull inflatable boat to disrupt the research vessel's illegal marine scientific research and compel it to leave the area.

"The RHIB circled Jia Hai Ke 7 several times, keeping close pressure on the research vessel. Jia Hai Ke 7 repeatedly maneuvered to evade the PCG units, while BRP Teresa Magbanua issued continuous radio challenges," he said.

Tarriela also mentioned that during the operation, a "China Coast Guard vessel CCG-2503 abruptly arrived in the vicinity" which "moved toward BRP Teresa Magbanua and issued repeated radio challenges".

"BRP Teresa Magbanua, in turn, shadowed the CCG vessel at about 1,000 yards while remaining close to the research vessel," added Tarriela.

"The involvement of a China Coast Guard vessel is significant because Jia Hai Ke 7 is privately owned. A government law enforcement ship moving to shield a supposedly private research vessel conducting illegal MSR in another country's EEZ raises serious questions about who Jia Hai Ke 7 is really working for," he said.

"It also raises questions about what data the vessel has collected over the country's undersea cable corridors in the Luzon Strait over the past four days," he added.

Tarriela noted that it is the first time that the Chinese research vessel moved from its position since it presence was reported early this week

"At about 11:42 am on October 1 , 2026, Jia Hai Ke 7 departed its position about 37 nautical miles northwest of Itbayat, Batanes, at a speed of 4.6 knots. This is the first time the vessel has moved from the area since the PCG discovered its presence on 28 September," he said.

"BRP Teresa Magbanua continues to shadow the research vessel to ensure it exits the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone," he added. Robina Asido/PHS