Overview

• The Philippines has lodged a formal protest against China's deployment of the 165-meter-long coast guard vessel, referred to as a 'monster ship,' in its exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
• The ship was spotted approximately 143 kilometers off Zambales province, near the disputed Scarborough Shoal, a resource-rich area claimed by both nations.
• Philippine officials have accused China of using the vessel to intimidate Filipino fishermen and normalize its presence in disputed waters, calling the actions illegal and unacceptable.
• China's foreign ministry defended its patrols in the area, asserting they are lawful and conducted within Chinese territorial waters, which Beijing claims include Scarborough Shoal.
• Tensions in the South China Sea have intensified, with overlapping territorial claims involving China and multiple Southeast Asian nations, despite a 2016 international tribunal ruling invalidating China's expansive claims.