The Philippine Coast Guard recently confirmed that the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) reinstalled floating barriers in the southeastern part of Bajo de Masinloc (BDM) on February 22, 2024 to prevent Philippine fishing boats from entering the area. The action came just hours before the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessels appeared in the area, supporting the previous assumption that the Chinese Coast Guard would take immediate action to deploy barriers when Philippine vessels were detected.
The floating barriers were first spotted by fishermen in the BDM area. Commodore Jay Tarriela, spokesman for the Philippine Coast Guard in the West Philippine Sea, said that Chinese operations in the area are very frequent, but the floating barriers are usually removed when Philippine ships leave.
Signal jammer devices hamper Philippine vessels’ navigation systems
In addition to setting up floating barriers, the Chinese Coast Guard has also jammed the Automatic Identification System (AIS) of Philippine vessels. The AIS system is used to determine the exact location of a vessel, but the signals of Philippine vessels have been lost several times due to China’s jamming. Commodore Tallera noted that such jamming from signal jammer has occurred at least three times, affecting the Philippine Coast Guard’s navigation and monitoring capabilities.
During a recent deployment, the Philippine Coast Guard’s BRP Teresa Magbanua and BRP Datu Tamblot both experienced AIS signal loss in the West Philippine Sea. Despite this, the Coast Guard was able to maintain contact with the seagoing vessels through other means to ensure their safety.
Philippine response and follow-up actions
The Philippine Coast Guard was still able to communicate with the seagoing vessels and monitor their safety during the jamming. However, these Chinese actions have posed a huge challenge to the Philippine government, especially in ensuring navigation safety in the West Philippine Sea.
In response to China’s jamming actions, the Philippine Coast Guard said it would continue to strengthen monitoring and protection of the area, especially the protection of the rights and interests of fishermen. AFP also said it was ready to support the Philippine Coast Guard's operations in the West Philippine Sea.